Computers and the internet have become a way of life. Telling your kids that they can't go on the internet is like telling them they can't breathe. Not only has the internet become a social aspect for kids, it is also educational.

Kids are expected to know their way around the internet and do research for school projects so keeping kids away from computers is almost impossible. With pressure from all sides, how is a parent supposed to keep their child safe while on the internet?

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Here are some internet safety tips for you to follow and teach your children about internet use. Following these rules will help you keep your child safe.

Tip #1 -- Learn Internet Acronyms

Kids speak in a different language around their friends and on the internet. They speak using internet acronyms like "bff" and "lol". If you don't know these acronyms, it's like trying to decipher a foreign language. Learn what these acronyms are so you know what kind of language your children are using and what they are saying to their friends.
Tip #2 -- Learn How to Use the Computer

If your children are involved with using the computer, you need to learn how to use a computer also. By learning your way around the computer, you can access your computer's history which shows where your children have been and you can block your children from visiting certain sites.

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Tip #3 -- Tracking Your Child's Activity

Many people have mixed feelings about tracking where their children go online. On one hand, they feel as if they are spying. On the other hand, parents feel like the only way to keep their children completely safe is to know the sites their children are going to and to whom they are talking to.

This is an issue you need to decide on yourself. You also need to decide whether or not to tell your child that you are tracking everything they are doing online. This can cause some children to become quite upset and rebellious and feel that you are invading their privacy.

If you decide to monitor your child's movement online, you need to invest in software that is made especially for this. With this type of software, you have much more control over sites that you can filter and keep them from visiting or accidentally going to sites that are violent and pornographic.
Tip #4 -- Share an Email Account

If your child is young and wants an email account, trying sharing one with him. Open an account with a name that he chooses, but you will access to it also. This way, if someone is trying to contact your child that shouldn't be, you can put a stop to it.

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You can't ever be 100% sure that your child will be safe in any activity, but by coming computer literate and monitoring your child online, you have much more control than before. Take time to learn online acronyms, how to use the computer, and installing monitoring software, you will be taking a step in the right direction.

Source: Health Guidance