|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
||
HOMEBOOKMARKNEWSLETTERJoin our newsletter to receive news of offers and discountsSearch
AS FEATURED IN...Lucy Siegle On Eithical Living: Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer
Navigation 3 Wheeler Twins And Tripples
3 Wheelers
9 Months To 11 Years
9 Months To 4 Years
Baby Bags
Bath And Changing Units
Bedding
Birth To 12 Months
Birth To 4 Years
Boori
Buggies
Buggy Accessories
Buggy Boards
Cot Accessories
Cots
Cribs
Grobags Sleeping Bags
Heritage Range
Highchairs
Monitors
Moses Baskets
Nappies
Nursing Chairs
Portable Highchairs
Rocking Horses
Starter Beds
Tandems
Travel Cots
Travel Systems
Twins
Walkers
Parening Books |
What a Parent Must Do to Stop Online Predators
Teens can freely access the Internet from computers at school, at their friends' homes and in public places such as libraries and even from cell phones and video game consoles. Internet is everywhere, that is why kids and teenagers (and their parents, too) should be well aware of its dangers to avoid them. Here are some figures from the telephone survey made by the Pew Internet and American Life Project: 65% of all parents and 64% of all teens say that teens do things online that they wouldn't want their parents to know about. These "things" usually means visiting sites parents find "questionable" or "inappropriate", for example, so-called adult content. And, of course, chatting online with strangers. What kids say in chat rooms, whom they communicate with and what they post on web logs and other public Internet places can get them into much more serious trouble than just viewing porn. 81% of parents of online teens say that teens aren't careful enough when giving out information about themselves online and 79% of online teens agree with this. Sometimes, teenager post online their first and last names, postal addresses, phone numbers, pictures and give lots of personal information about themselves. It enables a predator easily identify and find this teen. Unfortunately, sex predators teem in cyberspace. Sometimes they immediately start sexually explicit conversations with children. If a kid or a teen is forewarned and taught to end such a conversation immediately, he or she is relatively safe, except for moral damage from such a talk. But there are others. They gradually allure their future victims by attention, affection, kindness, and even gifts. These individuals usually devote much time, money, and energy to this process. They listen to children and pretend to empathize with their problems. They are aware of the latest music, hobbies, and interests of children. Some time later this person may succeed in arranging a face-to-face meeting with the kid -- you can guess what for. Such crimes are on the rise, so there are now even special units where law enforcement officers pose as children in chat rooms to lure predators into a trap. The problem is so serious that Federal Bureau of Investigation had to launch Crimes Against Children (CAC) Program in 1997; and,unfortunately, the officers from Crime Against Children Unit (CACU)have plenty of work. So every parent should read and memorize tips from "A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety" There are very simple rules any teen should learn by heart. Remind your children again and again: "don't believe everything you are told on-line; never reveal your name, age, birthday, graduation year, nickname or any other personal information while chatting; don't agree to meet face-to-face anybody you chatted online with." Parents ought to talk to their children about online dangers. Moms and Dads must encourage their sons and daughters tell them about their online acquaintances, without fear of being scolded of punished. But should all parents use monitoring software? It's a difficult question. Software for parental control is a useful tool, only if applied right. My opinion is that monitoring software is "strong medicine". Like any medicine, it has its own side effects that can be worse than the disease. Any medicine, if overused, can do harm. Computer monitoring is the last resort, when all the other means are exhausted. Don't do it just because you think you should. Using monitoring software will be appropriate if you feel you are losing control of the situation, or have lost it already. For example, your teenage son or daughter seems to be completely withdrawn from family. You don't know his/her friends well enough--maybe you even haven't seen them and doubt whether they exist at all. You have no idea whom he/she is chatting with. Your teenager receives phone calls from people you don't know or is making long-distance calls to numbers you don't recognize. Your son or daughter gets letters, gifts or packages from people you haven't heard about. Every day he/she spends hours on the computer, especially at night. When you enter the room he/she changes the screen. Maybe you found pornography on your child's computer. If your child uses an online account that belongs to someone else, you also should be alarmed. Don't keep the computer in your child's bedroom. In fact, nearly three-quarters of home computers are located in a place like living room., according to the survey. A wise thing to do. If your child uses the Internet in a living room, it is easier to watch what he or she is doing online. And, of course, there is a great variety of monitoring software products. Their purposes may vary from simply recording the time the computer is on/off to logging every keystroke your kid makes. Use one of them if you are sure it is absolutely necessary. But remember that your kid might be more technically savvy than you. Lots of them can erase their traces. At any case, you must let your growing son or daughter know that you do care for his or her safety -- both offline and online. Alexandra Gamanenko currently works at Raytown Corporation, LLC -- an independent monitoring and anti-monitoring software developing company. It provides various solutions for information security, including efficient software for parental control. Learn more -- visit the company's website http://www.softsecurity.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Children Cooperate When Appreciated Do you want your child to cooperate with you more?Children are much more likely to cooperate with adults who like being with them and who let them know they are worthwhile. This builds a level of trust and a feeling of safety. The 5 Babysitter Commandments Having a babysitter take care of your kids is sometimes a dangerous thing to do because the babysitter is the person that will be alone with your kid. Here are some ideas about your relationship with the babysitter. Stop, Look, Listen! Steps to Better Parenting Communication As a parent is seems that the majority of your day is spent trying to get your children to listen to what you are trying to teach them. Make them understand how to me a responsible child. Teenagers and Trouble - How Parents Can Keep their Teens Out of Trouble Teenagers are a work-in-progress, and parenting teenagers can be tricky business. Many kids get into some kind of trouble at some point, and, although this can provide them a powerful learning opportunity, taking a "kids will be kids" attitude is downright irresponsible parenting. How to Talk to Your Kids About Suicide: New Study Says it May Make Them Less Likely to Consider It! This year alone, 1,600 teenagers aged 15 to 19 will die from committing suicide. Suicide among kids, once a rarity, is now a growing concern in America, and it appears that one of the best ways to keep your kids from doing it is to be a nosy parent. Summer Survival Summer Survival The summer season is here and along with it comes summer vacation for the school-aged kids. Moms are now responsible for coming up with the ideas and curriculum for their children and I am the first to admit that by the summer my creative juices have just about run out. Spanking Children ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Results of the Spanking Poll on Rexanne.com: Voters - 233Percentage of readers who do not spank their children: 37%Percentage of readers who spank their children: 62%~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I am completely opposed to spanking. Fraternal Twin Parenting Concerns Identity and Your Fraternal TwinFor the most part, throughout this article I refer to a fraternal twin in the singular rather than the plural "twins." This is to emphasize the individuality of each twin. Hiking with Children There is nothing quite like hiking with small children. The thrill of introducing these young ones to the wonder of nature is matched only by their eyes as they take it all in. Secrets from the Classroom: Avoiding Summer Learning Loss In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as they packed up their bags for the final time, and began a much awaited summer vacation. For many this two-month academic hiatus is cause for celebration. How Can I Teach My Child Respect? A common theme over the past 20 years has been how much children have changed from when we were growing up in terms of how they show respect. I know that for the most part in the 1960's, anyone in a position of authority commanded respect which included parents, teachers, police officers, principals, bosses, coaches and anyone else we viewed in some way as a person in authority. Responding to Criticism Without Being Defensive In an actual war, to be attacked means to have our survival threatened. Thus, we might chose between surrender, withdrawal, or counterattack. Parents Role in Helping with Car Wash Fundraisers As a parent you will be asked to assist with your children's car wash fundraiser activities. It is important that you take an active role in these endeavors. Simple Indulgences for September As the kids go back to school, you can go back to *you*.. Birth of a Parent So you're pregnant. Congratulations! Your life is about to change in ways you might find unthinkable (and we're not even talking about the surrender of your once slim waistline to proportions most comparable to that of a Dr. Whos Your Daddy? How to be a Great Dad in 5 to 7 Minutes I am a dad. I have been now for over 8 years. Visiting the Library Libraries offer more than books. They are places of learning and discovery for everyone. No, No, No -- What Else is a Parent to Say? The word no is probably the most overused word in the English language. I speak from experience since I myself use it frequently. When Everybody Does It Comes Back to Haunt You Parental example, whether for good or for bad, is undoubtedly the most powerful influence on a child's moral and social development. If we are to succeed at all in bringing up our children in the way we want them to grow up, we have to be mindful of this day and night. Eating Disorders in Children If I had a dollar for every time I persuaded a girl of 8 or 9 that they were not, in fact, fat, I'd be considerably richer. When my older daughter was about that age, their mothers were putting a lot of her friends on diets.
|
