EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
KID
QUIPS
“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
Middle Years (7-12)
|
||||
|
It’s not unusual for Mark Payne to hear his students complaining about how tired they are. Not because of PE classes, after-school jobs or even midterms. But because the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders he teaches admit they’re often up late instant messaging on their computers. “I have children tell me they were chatting on the computer until 2 a.m.,” says Payne, a technology instructor at Pioneer Middle School in Tustin. “I’ve asked my students and about 80% are using instant messaging and 90% have e-mail.” Looking back, it’s really no surprise that our children are becoming so Internet savvy at such an early age. After all, computer classes for toddlers have been a common offering for the past several years. In her first-grade class, my daughter got an introduction to Power Point and a list of educational websites she was encouraged to visit. As home computer prices continue to drop and Internet searches become a necessity for schoolwork, it’s the rare child who doesn’t have access to a home computer, or own one. And staying up extra late isn’t the worst hazard they may encounter. According to the FBI, six out of 10 kids online have gotten an e-mail or instant message from a perfect stranger and more than half have written back. Even more disconcerting, one in 33 kids have been aggressively solicited to meet their “cyber friend” in person. So how do you encourage your child to take advantage of the computer without being taken advantage of? All the experts agree, set limits and stick to them. Talk it out Payne believes that discussing the dangers of the Internet with your child is as important as talking about drugs and alcohol. Perhaps even more so because the signs may not be as obvious. “These kids have no idea of the dangers. They all think, it won’t happen to me. But someone can easily look up a pin number, get a computer address, and hack into your computer for personal contact information.” The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children suggests that when you talk to your child, remind her that people are not always who they say they are online (they should know the face that goes with every instant message (IM) address they communicate with). And urge them not to give out any personal information or post any pictures. Watch the clock The American Academy of Pediatrics includes computer time under the umbrella of all electronic media, and the organization says that children shouldn’t be spending more than two hours a day plugged in. Of course, this limit is much easier to enforce when computers are placed in an open, family-friendly area not a child’s bedroom, which the AAP also discourages. “Setting up good habits from a young age is really important,” says Dr. Tanya Altmann, a Southern California pediatrician. “Parents need to take an active role and monitor what their kids are doing, not just give them a list of what they are allowed to do. Because if you aren’t involved, they won’t follow it.” If you find that your child is short on self-control when it comes to turning off the computer, there are several software programs on the market that can lock down the computer or prohibit web access after hours. Call in reinforcements Not only do parents need to monitor the amount of time their children are spending on the computer, they need to monitor the sites they are visiting. Thankfully, there are plenty of children out there who will be happy to tell you exactly what they’re doing and with whom they are talking. For some, simply knowing that you may walk in at any time and peek over their shoulder is enough of a deterrent to keep them off any questionable sites. But others may need a little extra help. The good news is that it’s readily available. Monitoring children’s use of the computer has become an integral part of parenting in the millennium; many software companies realize that. For example, I have an Apple and the operating system includes parental control software that enables my children to use the Internet, while greatly eliminating some of the hazards. When they log in, it blocks e-mails from strangers, (those not on our approved list,) limits them to only accessing websites on their bookmark, and prohibits them from chatting with anyone not on our list. There are many other comparable programs out there, as well as ones that will enable you to review what your child was doing or watch them while they’re doing it. Let your child know these programs are in place for their own safety. If they’re clever enough to find a way around them, don’t hesitate to do a “History” search to see what they’ve been up to, until you can get another program in place. The computer should be a safe place of learning, discovery, and fun for kids, without all the anxiety for parents. So be truthful, stick to the limits you set, and whenever possible take time to enjoy it with them. You might even learn something new yourself. Michele Piazzoni of Folsom is a regular contributor. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
Digg This ArticleSEARCH THE SITE
