Guard a Kid

The Internet is an incredible teaching tool for children, yet a trap of potentially dangerous people and images.  Simple keyword searches can yield pornographic images or lead a child to a chat room where potential predators lurk.  It all sounds so sinister, but the unfortunate truth exists that there are people out there preying on the innocence of a young person.  Child safety on the Internet is important for parents to understand and explain the dangers.

The scary statistics say that more than 75% of all children under the age of 14 are approached by an online predator.  Brightly colored, interactive websites attract very young children with games and puzzles, and may also allow them to enter chat rooms that could have a predator waiting.  These people will start conversations may allow them to send sexually explicit messages or images to the child, or ask to arrange a meeting.

Parents need to be aware of the potential warning signs and openly discuss child safety measures regarding the internet.  One the eminent signs is the amount of time a child spends online, particularly at night.  Predators typically work during the day and troll the internet at night, looking for opportunities to chat.  Parents need to keep computers in common areas of the home to be able to subtly monitor what is on the screen, rather than keeping the computer in a bedroom.  Regular checking of children’s email accounts will help a parent keep tabs on any potentially dangerous messages from strangers.  It is also important to monitor items received in the US mail, as children may inadvertently give out their address.

Teaching child safety online is important, by promoting responsible use of the internet.  There is so much more to utilize online other than chat rooms.  Parents can instruct children to never give out personal information, arrange face to face meetings with strangers, or download images from unknown sources.

Some parents have difficulty getting this message across in a firm yet friendly way.  Help is available through the form of informative DVD’s that families can watch together.  John Walsh is a child safety expert, and has partnered with Julie Clark to create programs to teach children the good and bad about internet safety.  Parents should also be aware of monitoring software and internet controls they can employ to prevent potentially harmful situations.  All of these items are great tools in keeping children safe from these unseen dangers.