Does your child spend a lot of time surfing the Net? Instead of reading books, riding their bikes, or hanging out with friends, many kids are spending their free time online. Research tells us that youth ages 8 to 18 average just over 1 hour a day on the computer (1:02), outside of schoolwork.1 They spend an average of 48 minutes a day on the Internet.2 Children who have easy access to a computer-and nearly one-third of kids have a computer in their bedroom-log more time online than their peers.3 So, what are kids doing when they're online? How can parents make sure that their child's surfing is safe?
Most of the time they're online, kids are playing games and sending instant messages. They also use the Web to catch up with friends and make new ones. While there are many Web sites to choose from, older teens tend to use MySpace and Facebook. Kids ages 7 to 12 often use Web sites like Club Penguin and Webkinz. Kids' favorite Web sites operate differently-some include parental controls, while others do not. Check out the sites your kids frequent. If you're familiar with the site, you can help your children make good choices when they're visiting it.
Parents and caring adults are the best defense when it comes to keeping kids safe online. You may be surprised to find out where your kids are going on the Web. The best thing you can do is talk with them. Talk about how they use the Internet, what sites they like, and what they’re doing online. Then, make decisions together about Internet use. If you already have rules in place, they will need to be tweaked as your kids grow and their Web habits change.
When you set rules, keep these tips in mind:
- Rules should match your child's age and maturity level and also take into account how they use the Web. For example, if your child plays video games online, you may want to have rules about which games he can play and how long he can play them.
- Check to make sure that your kids are following the rules. When your child breaks an online rule, you may not find out right away. You may want to load your home computer with software that filters content and records your child's Web activities so that you can monitor her activities online. If you come across something questionable, talk with your child right away. To learn about technology like software that can help keep your child safe online, talk with your Internet service provider. The American Library Association also is a great source of information.
- You don't have to be an Internet guru to set rules about using the Web. The same general parenting skills that apply to the "real world" also apply online. If you need help setting rules for your kid's Web surfing, talk with other parents, teachers, librarians, and coaches. Your Internet service provider also should be able to help.
Congress declared June to be National Internet Safety Month and called on "Internet safety organizations, law enforcement, educators, community leaders, parents, and volunteers to increase their efforts to raise the level of awareness for the need for online safety in the United States."4 Internet safety should be on the minds of parents and caring adults every month of the year, especially during summer and other breaks from school, when kids have more free time. Kids need guidance and limits in the real world and on the World Wide Web. Set rules and monitor your child's online activities to ensure that all his Web surfing is safe.
Sources
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Family Guide To Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug- Free, Are You Web Savvy?
American Academy of Pediatrics, The Internet and Your Family (PDF)
Center on Media and Child Health
National School Boards Foundation, Safe & Smart: Overview of Research and Guidelines for Children's Use of the Internet
Activity - Write your own family contract for Internet use
Family contracts spell out what kids will (and won't) do online. Read Using Family Contracts To Help Protect Your Kids Online and use it to write your own family contract. Ask your kids to sign their contracts. Then, display the contracts near the computer.
In 1999, the Kaiser Family Foundation released its first major survey about how kids use media like television, computers, video games, music, and movies. Five years later, they did another survey. Check out the chart below to see how kids' use of computers and the Internet has grown in just a few years!
| |
1999 |
2004 |
| Percent of youth with computers in their home |
73% |
86% |
| Percent of families who have two or more computers at home |
47% |
74% |
| Percent of youth who have a computer in their bedroom |
21% |
31% |
| Percent of youth who have Internet access in their bedroom |
10% |
20% |
| Percent of youth who were online for more than an hour a day |
15% |
27% |
| Amount of time per day that youth spent on a computer (outside of schoolwork) |
27 minutes |
1 hour and 2 minutes |
| Amount of time per day that youth spent looking at Web sites for something other than schoolwork |
7 minutes |
14 minutes |
| Amount of time per day that youth spent instant messaging |
Almost nothing |
17 minutes |
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, March 2005. Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds (PDF), last referenced 7/22/07.
If you're more familiar with a coffee filter than a computer software filter, you're not alone. Many moms and dads feel outsmarted by technology-but don't let that keep you from keeping your kids safe online! Get help from other parents, teachers, your Internet service provider, or your local computer or electronics store.
You also may want to check out the Web for tips, ideas, and instructions. Here are a few Web sites to visit:
Be Web Aware
iKeepSafe
On Guard Online's Video, Teaching Kids To Be Safe Online
Stay Safe
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