What Do You Think: Parents Talk To Their Kids About Safety Online, Don’t Always Follow Up

I’m sure you all are like me – concerned about what your kids come across and access while online. I haven’t yet come up with a fail-safe way to keep my kids safe online. I know there are websites the ones below as well as stuff like Yoursphere.com (which my kids aren’t yet old enough for). I came across this article the other day and thought I’d see what you all thought of it.

How do you keep your kids safe while online? Post below!

– HighlightsParents.com Poll Shows Parents Sometimes Give Unfettered Access –

Kids are using the Internet on their own, according to a poll conducted by Highlights for Children, the best-read children’s magazine in North America, and Glubble.com, the leading online activity center for families with children under 12. And while most of the families surveyed have held conversations about Internet safety, parents are still concerned.

More than 500 parents responded to the site’s poll on how their kids access the Internet. Most parents, (77%) reported having a conversation with their children about online safety, but a significant number (75%)
reported that their child accesses the Internet without supervision. Responses were gathered from current Glubble users and visitors to HighlightsParents.com, a web site of Highlights for Children that provides
family activities and tips. Glubble users, already actively involved with their kids’ safety online, reported having talked with their children at a higher rate (80%) than those who were not users (65%).

“The Internet is a part of children’s lives today, and indeed an exciting and useful part, but families need to stay involved and set clear guidelines to keep their kids safe,” says Christine French Clark, editor in
chief of Highlights magazine and Highlights High Five. “Explain that even though the Internet is accessed through the computer, all the “real-world” lessons that you’ve taught them still apply. Discuss things like revealing too much, sending inappropriate photos, and ‘cyberbullying.’”

“New tools give parents a greater level of involvement in their children’s surfing and online discovery choices,” adds Willem-Jan Schutte, Glubble CEO. “Just as parents select appropriate books, TV shows and films for their family, the same oversight applies to the Web. After all, only parents know what content is suitable for their kids, and at what age.”

Parents reported getting information about kid-friendly sites from several sources. The most popular included sites their kids found on their own (57%) and links from other trusted sites (56%). Even among this pool of Internet-savvy and active parents, a small number (16%) admitted that they do not know which sites their children visit.Sources: Highlights for Children, Inc. (http://www.Highlights.com), North America’s best-read children’s magazine and Glubble (http://www.Glubble.com), the online activity center for children 12 and under.