- Teach your kids to never give out personal information over the Internet to include—their name, address, phone number, passwords, parent’s names, name of their school or job.
- Place your computer in an open area of your home where you can easily supervise your child’s Internet activity.
- Establish house rules for Internet use at home and outside of the home. Remind your child that Internet use is a privilege, not a right.
- Monitor the amount of time your child spends on the Internet. Excessive time online, especially at night, may be your warning sign of impending danger.
- Spend time online with your child and establish an atmosphere of trust and open communication.
- Limit your child’s Instant Messaging (IM) to a parental approved buddy list. Perform regular checks on your child’s buddy list.
- Do not allow your child to participate in online chat rooms without your direct supervision. Warning Sign-online predators use chat rooms as their playground.
- If your child has a MYSPACE or other social networking account, do not allow personal profile information. Parents should check the account periodically.
- Kid’s should never plan to meet face-to-face with anyone they meet online.
REMEMBER—No software program can replace good parental skills.
|
