Computers and the Internet
A parent will assume that it's okay for their child to go online alone. It's really not a good idea. Especially if you don't have any filters, it's just like leaving your child out on the street. To me, navigating the online world before a child is in middle school is really a dangerous thing. You don't necessarily have to sit there watching everything, but that's why there's a recommendation to have the computer in a public room. Everyone can keep an eye out. You don't want these laptops in bedrooms until they really need that for schoolwork. And that doesn't really happen until high school. Before that happens, you're better off having the computer in a public space in the house.
For example, my daughter starting at age seven was going on Club Penguin, or Webkinz, where kids can't really chat with each other, but they play around in this virtual world that allows them to be interactive and use the mouse and other skills. And all of a sudden I found out Sammy had all these buddies, and I'm like, "Who's sportsgirl37?" She knew maybe half of them. There should be a clear set of rules about their experience, like that you don't accept buddy requests from people you don't know.
Another problem is cyber-bullying. It's easier to make an unkind comment online, because you're not actually looking at someone. And bullying online is similar to bullying on the playground. People who are bullied get very withdrawn. And the problem again with having a computer in the bedroom is, once you're being cyber-bullied, you're not safe at home.
If you walk in the room and your child minimizes the window. . . Your bells should go off. Something's going on. There's a rule in my house: Nobody gets to minimize a window when you walk into the room... Read more from "3 Most Common Mistakes: The Internet"
