1) Use Parental Controls! Your ISP has varying levels of parental controls. Some block out unwanted sites, pictures, and even words on the Internet. You can block certain sites you don't want your children visiting. You can even have their web browsing history sent to you via e-mail. Do some research and find the Parental Controls and filters that are right for you!
2) Keep your computer in a high-traffic area of the house. Curiosity is less likely to take over when kids are in an adult's line of sight!
3) When typing an http address, don't type it into the address bar, type it into the search engine.
This will help weed out typos that often take children to unwanted sites. The search engine will give you options, and you can click on the correct option to go to the site you wanted. It's one more step, but it protects you from those unwanted sites.
4) Make sure your children don't register for any sites or give out any personal information. If a site your child frequents needs a password and personal information, parents should register and keep a written record of all passwords. This includes e-mail and instant messaging accounts. Parents should be able to access these accounts in case anything questionable comes up.
5) Talk to your kids. Teach them about the dangers of the Internet, such as pornography and online predators. NetSmartz Kids is a great place to start! Help your children to distinguish fact from fiction as they read and learn on the Internet. Help them to feel comfortable coming to you with questions so they don't look for answers somewhere else!
