Should you let your kids go online? The simple answer to this question is yes, and you should. While the Internet is filled with dangers, it can be an educational tool that is simply too good not to use. So perhaps a better question is whether you should let your children online, unsupervised. At a certain age your children will be going online without your supervision. At what age that is will depend on when you think your child is ready. But before they allowed online alone you must alert them of the dangers online. When you were younger, you were probably told about the dangers of trusting strangers on the street. You need to warn your children of a similar danger online because that should be your biggest fear.
It’s not about what they can see online. It’s about who they might talk to. It’s possible of course to put a safety cap on your internet. That means that sites that are harmful or dangerous will be blocked. But not all dangerous sites will be blocked under these restrictions. Some will stay open. Habbo Hotel used to be a popular choice for children, playing games online. While this looked like a friendly internet game for children, it resembled something quite similar to a chatroom. We probably don’t have to tell you how dangerous these can be for children. At this point, you might be thinking it’s best to keep your child off the internet completely. At least until they are old enough to understand it for themselves. But, there are advantages to letting your kids online.
The Best Uses Of The Net For Kids
Firstly, there is a wide array of educational sites online that you can use to boost a child’s development before they even start school. You’ll find these sites from all the major companies like Disney, Nickelodeon and many others. These educational tools often come in the form of games that teach children certain skills such as counting. As they get older, children can also use the web for studying. It’s a valuable resource that teachers often now recommend in their classes.
The internet can also be used to keep kids entertained. They can watch videos online and play less educational games. As well as this, it’s a good way to get them interested in the news and the media at an early age. As they get older, you’ll be able to show them funny pictures at theChive. After all, we could all do with a good laugh at the end of the day and, believe it or not; this is what most kids use the net for. They use it to laugh at funny jokes that their friends are sharing or videos on Youtube.
The Biggest Dangers
That said, there are dangers you have to watch out for letting your kids online. As we said, Illegal sites will be blocked when you have parental controls on. But what can only be described as kid chatrooms might slip under the radar. You should only let your children use these with strict supervision. Even then it can be risky. You also need to make sure your children know not to give out any personal information online.
As we said, when you let your children online unsupervised is a personal choice. But, it might be better to get used to the idea sooner rather than later. These days the whole world revolves around the internet, and that’s not going to change anytime soon.