How Can I Protect My Children On The Internet When They Are More "Tech Savvy"Than I Am?

Although very helpful, parental control software is not 100% reliable. Software can sometimes unintentionally block access to valuable information, and inadvertently allow access to inappropriate materials. Worse yet, tech-savvy and sneaky children may be able to get around the controls. As a parent, you'll have to find a balance.

The old gag about getting your child to program the VCR for you would get blank stares from most tech-savvy kids these days. Now we have DVR (digital video recorder), and if you want to rent a movie, you can download it directly onto your computer to watch on a plasma screen TV. Boy, have things changed! All joking aside, technology has advanced at such a breakneck pace that many parents and older adults are left feeling a little out-of-touch with the times. But, there's no need to feel intimidated. The internet is simply a tool which can provide amazing information, but as with any tool, improper use can be dangerous.

If you are the parent of a child who uses the internet or the parent of a child who will start using the internet soon, you should know that the internet is a great way to stay up-to-date on the news, do research for school projects, and communicate with friends, but it can also be very dangerous. As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your child stays safe online. Unfortunately, for this to happen you must know your way around a computer and the internet. Do you?

A child should never know more than a parent does about the internet. At the very least, you should know about the same. If you are looking to block adult websites or websites that have offensive language, it will not do you any good if your teenager knows ways to get around the parental controls that you set. That is why it is important that you know how to use a computer and the internet or learn if you don't know.

The first thing you must do is learn what threats there are online for your children. The biggest threats are internet predators and cyber bullies. An internet predator is an adult who attempts to solicit a minor with the intent to pressure the child or teen into a sexual encounter. A cyber bully is a minor who uses internet or cell phone technologies to harass, torment, embarrass, or threaten another minor... There are many others, but those are the two most serious threats to your children's safety on the internet.

Education is the key -- you must become knowledgeable and then you teach your children to be safe and smart online. Get internet safety tips from sites like NetSmartz.org, KidSafe.com, or WebWiseKids.com. Or sign up for the series of free videos from GamesAtGrandmas.com -- the videos and games teach internet safety in a non-threatening manner, and the site provides your children with a safe place to play on the internet.

Another reason why you should be well educated on the internet and computer use is because you are better able to fully understand the dangers of them. You may hear that an internet predator approached or kidnapped a child on the news, but you may automatically assume that it will not happen to your child. Unfortunately, until you understand how the internet works, you really have no idea. Does your child use internet chat rooms or social networking websites? If so, do you know how easy the internet makes it for someone to create a whole new, fake identity?

A good understanding of computer and internet use can better enable you to protect your child. Do you know that Internet Explorer, the browser that comes standard, has a free parental control option that just needs to be activated? A few easy steps and you can have certain websites blocked from your child. Unfortunately, you won't know this if you don't know all that you can know about the computer or the internet.

Find out more about keeping your kids safe online with the informative tips and free video series from GamesAtGrandmas.com.

About The Author My name is Lorna, and as a grandmother I am concerned about keeping my grandchildren - and all children - safe on the internet. There are countless wonderful educational and entertaining sites online, but there are also many, many dangerous predators and cyber bullies looking for children to victimize. By teaching internet safety tips to children and their parents, I hope to help prevent children from becoming victims of internet predators. Along the way, they will also learn what to do to stop cyberbullying and how to protect their privacy online. http://GamesAtGrandmas.com.