The Internet has become an important part of family life. There are thousands of fun games and learning activities for young children and many new ways for families to socialize online. The challenge is how to stay involved with your kids' online experience.
To help us learn how families are using the Internet, we recently partnered with Glubble, a free Internet service dedicated to helping parents monitor their children's Internet use and to find safe, child-appropriate sites like HighlightsKids.com which offers kids a variety of free activities, games, stories, and learning experiences—including the ever-popular favorite Hidden Pictures®. Click here to read the results of that poll.
To ensure a safe Web experience for your entire family, Highlights and Glubble offer these important tips.
- Communicate with your children before they start accessing the Internet.
Set clear guidelines before you allow your kids to get involved in online activities. Explain that even though the Internet is accessed through the computer, all the "real-world" lessons that you've taught them, such as "Don't talk to strangers," still apply. Discuss your expectations for online conduct, and indicate which sites are acceptable. Make it clear whom they are permitted to interact with online. If they have questions or concerns about what they encounter or what their friends are doing, encourage them to talk to you.
- Access resources that will help you supervise your kids' activities.
Sign up for a free, safe online family-activity center (such as Glubble) that lets you supervise the Web sites your kids can visit. This system also enables you to decide whom kids can chat with online.
- Play on the Internet with your kids.
Listen to audio books, find new puzzle sites, and join your kids in educational experiences that will challenge both of you. When your kids are first learning how to use the Internet, play games along with them—and then regularly join them to find new sites that are appropriate. HighlightsKids.com provides a range of engaging, age-appropriate online activities that you and your kids can share and discuss.
- Choose whom your kids interact with online.
Teach your children that the Internet is a place to enhance existing relationships, not a place to forge new ones. Ask them to alert you immediately if they encounter any inappropriate language or behavior. Since it's difficult to monitor every moment, Glubble enables parents to pre-approve the people children may interact with online—family members and friends. This provides a level of supervision not available in chat rooms or with other programs.
- Place the computer your child uses in a location that is visible to you.
The family room and kitchen are places where you will be able to supervise your children's use of the Internet. It is much more difficult to know what your kids are doing if they use the computer in private.
- Approve all files your child wants to upload to the Internet—and keep files secure.
Tell your children that they must ask you for permission before uploading any files. If you allow your kids to upload photos, be sure to use sites that ensure your photos can only be viewed by family and friends to whom you've given access.
- Stay current on the latest technologies.
Keep up-to-date on the newest technologies so that you know and understand how social-networking sites, blogs, and online video-sharing sites are accessed and used. Speak to your children's teachers, librarians, and other parents to learn more about the latest innovations and to help you determine what is suitable for your kids.
- Gradually let your kids try new programs and Web sites that you have approved.
Kids will want to expand their access to new sites. Glubble lets you add Web sites that are safe and suitable for children, and it notifies you if your children try to access sites that are not approved.
- Keep passwords and personal information private.
Teach your child never to give out any passwords or private information (including name, location, and age).
- Stay involved.
Just as you're involved with your children's schoolwork and extracurricular activities, you need to stay involved with their Internet activity. Discover what they are interested in, and ask them to teach you what they've just learned. Kids love discussing the games and activities they enjoy. Make the Internet part of your dinnertime conversations. Set aside some time each week for you and your kids to explore new online games and activities together.