Protecting kids from day-to-day risks is second nature to parents. These risks, challenges and messages are the same they’ve always been: Look both ways, don’t talk to strangers, and have them tell you where they’re going.  Only now the medium has evolved – it’s online too. 

Activities once reserved for the school yard are now carried out across computer screens, making the Internet a permanent part of their lives and the new means of socialization.  With the prevalence of social media and the ability to post thoughts, photos and videos online, Internet safety education in now more vital than ever.  

Online parenting can be a tough, especially when you are always on the go. Monitoring what your kids are doing on the Internet is a full time job in itself. To help alleviate some of your worry, take a proactive approach to ‘e-parenting’ by educating them about safe online practices.

Teaching Internet safety to your kids doesn’t have to take a lot out of your day, and there are a few key tips busy parents can implement and keep in mind:

Don’t take it away.
In an era where Facebook has over 6 million page views per minute (and counting) and Twitter pumps out 50 million traceable Tweets a day, it’s safe to say the Internet is easily accessible. Many youth neglect to inform their parents of bad online situations because they fear the Internet will be taken away. When that happens, kids are more likely to find ways to log on without permission or supervision, making them more vulnerable to online predators and other online risks.

According to a 2008 study by the National Crime Prevention Council, 58% of teen victims never told a parent or teacher about online harassment or predators out of fear of losing Internet access.

Practice open communication.
Opening up the lines of communication with your child about Internet safety doesn’t have to be time consuming or stressful – you can easily encourage them to:
•    Treat the Internet as a public, shared space.
•    Think twice before posting anything online.
•    Don’t believe everything they hear or see on the Internet.
•    Remember, strangers are strangers… even online.
•    Never give out personal information or have a face-to-face meeting with anyone online.

Messages that work well in traditional safety talks can be applied to Internet safety as well.  The common, “don’t talk to strangers,” “let us know where you are going,” and “introduce us to your friends,” are simple, yet effective ways to monitor who your child is interacting with, and where.

While a child’s Internet usage might seem extremely vast and multi-faceted for any parent to track, working moms shouldn’t be overwhelmed. To effectively instill long-lasting open communication with your children, keep being a parent and incorporate the Internet into your traditional safety lessons.

Contributed by KiwiCommons.com