Kid's Zone

Family Computer Access

Have a common area for all family members to utilize the computer. This may prevent children from going into areas of the Internet that are not suitable and it will provide adults an opportunity to monitor while children are online.
Exercise caution before allowing a child to have a computer in their room and/or a web camera. Many dangerous situations arise because of lack of supervision and monitoring of children's activities on the internet. It is much more difficult for your child to establish a relationship with a predator if the computer screen is visible to a parent or another member of the household.
Spend time with your children online. Have them teach you about their favorite online destinations.
If your children are young, steer them away from chat rooms altogether. Older children should only participate in chat rooms you approve of, such as monitored areas.
Instruct your children to:
1. Never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good change they could be sexually explicit images
2. Choose a genderless screen name and never reveal their age.
3. Follow their family online agreement; post the agreement by the family computer to remind your children to protect their privacy and be safe on the Internet.