If you have school-age children, you know how important the computer is to their education. Just about all of their education revolves around a computer screen. In fact, some school districts are even using virtual textbooks that are only available online. You know that your child needs to have access to computers. However, you also know that not all of the internet is kid-friendly.
If you're concerned about your child's safety while surfing the web, don't panic. While your kids are online at school, their teachers are monitoring their surfing habits. However, you still need to make sure that their activities are monitored once they get home. Here are three steps you can take to make your child's computer experience a positive one.
Choose a Designated Computer Station
If your children are going to be accessing the computer at home, you want to set up a family computer station. The computer station will ensure that your children are in central location while they're surfing the web. When setting up the computer station, be sure to consider how many computers will be used. For instance, if more than one computer will be at the station, you may want to consider a desk that's accessible from more than just one side. It's also important that you set the computers up so that the screens can be monitored. This will allow you to see what your kids are viewing.
Set Up the Parental Controls
When your kids access the internet, they access the world. That's where parental controls come in handy. Parental controls allow you to limit the amount of access your kids have to that world. One of the benefits of parental controls is that you can base the level of control on the ages of your children. That means that each one of your kids can have access to the information that's suitable for their particular age. If you're not sure how to apply parental controls to your computer, you can speak to a technician at your local computer store.
Create a Family Contract
You want to make sure that you and your kids are on the same page when it comes to computer use in the home. One way to do that is to create a family contract. Sit down with your kids and design a contract that will work well for your family. Once you've created the contract, be sure that each member of the family signs the document. Be sure to update the contract as your children outgrow certain elements of the document.
You want your kids to have access to the internet. You also want to make sure that they're safe while they're online. Use the information provided here to create a safe environment for your kids to use the computer. Contact an electronics wholesaler for more information.
