Welcoming your child to the Internet is a wonderful experience. There are many sites to surf; lots of friends to e-mail; and plenty of places to explore.
However, you must be mindful of setting limits or rules with your kids to prevent potential computer issues.
Here’s a 7-step list to go over with your children:
- Avoid giving out your e-mail address to people you don’t know
- Never provide your home address or phone number
- Don’t give out any passwords
- Never agree to meet up with someone anywhere
- Ask permission before signing up for chat sites
- If you’re uncomfortable with a website, close it
- Take breaks every hour or less
As a parent, you should keep the computer in a general area. This way, you can peek over to check out the computer status and it doesn’t encourage private computing which could lead to trouble. The computer can open up a child’s mind and creativity, but remember to set boundaries.
