Parenting Question
of the Week
Question 8: Internet Safety
Question: My five-year-old daughter has learned how to use a computer at school, and really likes some of the Web sites for kids that have games on them. I know Internet safety is a big concern for teenagers, but what might I want to think about now to keep my young daughter safe?
Answer: Your question makes a lot of sense, as more and more young children become technologically savvy. Much is being written about Internet safety with teenagers, but less is available on this issue for younger children.
One of the core principles of the Triple P - Positive Parenting Program is to ensure a safe, interesting environment. Such an environment is one where children are safe to explore and one that provides lots of opportunities for children to do interesting things. Interesting environments can help stimulate curiosity and provide a way to further develop their language and intellectual skills. Children who are actively involved in an activity are also much less likely to misbehave.
So how does this apply to Internet use by young children? Here are some ideas that you may want to consider:
1. You may want to think about where in the house you want the computer with Internet access to be. Having the computer in a main room where the family tends to congregate, like a kitchen or den, will make it much easier to monitor what Internet sites your child is using. As a parent, this gives you the opportunity to control the sites your child visits. This will be much harder if your child has a computer with Internet access in their room.
2. You may want to think about how much time you would like your child to be spending on the computer. Time that children spend on activities like computers or television is time that they are not spending running or playing. Regular physical activity is important for children's health, so you may want to limit how much time your child's computer time.
3. Check out the Internet sites your child likes to visit and pay special attention to the advertising shown on the sites. Young children tend to believe the information they hear or see in advertisements, so you may want to know what kinds of advertisements, if any, your child is seeing or hearing.
4. Talk to your child about what they see and do on the computer. Be available when they are on the computer so that they can ask a question or ask for your help. Your child's skills are developing, but using a mouse or a keyboard can be frustrating at times. If you can stop what you are doing and provide a bit of assistance when your child asks for help, your child will feel supported as they learn new computer skills.
About the authors:
Cheri Shapiro, PhD, is a Research Assistant Professor in
the Department of Psychology and the Project Director for Building Connections,
a federal grant program through the University of South Carolina that provides
Triple P - Positive Parenting Program training and parenting information
to select South Carolina counties. Alexandra Seng, MA,
is trained in Triple P. Find local providers
here.
