The Internet gives us the world at our fingertips. Unfortunately, sometimes those fingers belong to a child. While innocently surfing 'the net', children can be exposed to inappropriate material. They may accidentally reveal personal information, their own or their parents' credit card data, for example.

The first line of defense is to teach your child how to use the Internet safely. Children are interested in computers and the Internet as early as age two, and young children can be easily guided to appropriate web sites that provide entertainment and education.

As children get older, however, it becomes more difficult to supervise all their online activities.

 

By adolescence, they may engage in viewing pornography or chatting online with potential predators. Sometimes they'll post photos of themselves and provide information that could allow pedophiles to approach them. Being involved with your child's online activities helps limit some of these risks. Keeping the computer in the living room or just being interested in what they view may be enough to help children resist the temptation of 'forbidden' sites.

It's usually not possible, though, to supervise all their online activities. Scary thought, but when you're at work or shopping you can't know what your child is being exposed to.

Or can you?

In fact, there are a variety of software and hardware tools that can limit your child's Internet access or monitor his or her computer activities. Most cost very little, some are even free, others are simply helpful tips for how to restrict access. Read More on Parental Control Software Articles..

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