Kids online... Why parents worry

I don't have a problem with my daughter using the internet but it's no free-for-all. The computer is in the common area. I monitor how long she's on the computer. She's allowed to go to two sites, which are set up with my email address. She's not allowed to communicate with anyone on-line. I realize once she gets older (she's 8 now), I will have adjust the rules, maybe allow her to chat with certain friends. I think the internet is a great tool but with anything it has its dangers. I can't necessarily forbid it because I come from the computer/text/cell phone age. However, I think it's important as parents to set age appropriate guidelines. Know what your kids are doing and a lot of these problems won't occur. Most importantly, never let your kids have a computer with internet access in their room. It's harder for parents to know what's going on behind closed doors. I would have a cut off time like you have for the tv or the phone. After 7pm, no technology.

i'm a kid and i use the internet a lot. i'm thin, healthy, and i dont reveal personal information on the internet. i don't look up inappropriate things or see them, and i spend a lot of time with my real friends. moms shouldn't be worried about their kids on the internet. they should just teach their kid about what they shouldn't do, and trust them not to do it.

being 14 im lucky my mom trusts me enough not to go on certain sites or give personal info to people i dont know to tell the truth when i was 8 i didn't even care about the internet i was to busy playing outside our society is way to dependent on the internet and tv and video games not to mention texting i had to live with no tv for 2 years most people i tell that to say they couldn't live without their tv im not saying this stuff is bad but pretty soon little kids are going to become addicted to technology in fact some already are

I signed my kiddos (aged 6 and 8) up for Togetherville -it's basically a stripped-down Facebook for kids. The parental controls are set up so the parents invite friends and approve all requests. It's actually really cute - the videos are age-appropriate (even if the "Fart Dance" is gross, my boys LOVE it!). That being said, I limit and supervise their time on the internet, and they are only allowed to access certain pre-approved sites.

Well I'm very pleased you're "smorter" than the "avrage" toilet. Though it does make me worry over the state of middle school level education.

For me if I wanted to make sure my kids were being safe and making good choices I would just set some boundaries. Limit the about of internet time a child is allowed. Use parental controls. Make it a privilege, not a right, to have internet uses, and as always spend the time to talk to my kids about the dangers and why restrictions are necessary.

My concerns lean towards: Decreased face to face interaction with real friends, and revealing too much information on social networking sites.

But those, like the other things are easily fixed with monitoring their actions online and forcing them off the computer to go out and see the sun light. It only burns for a little bit lol^^

im 13, so all u overprotective moms SHUT UP. most kids are smorter than the avrage toilet

I'm 14, and I've used the computer unsupervised ever since I started using it. (Since I was 9.) Of course, if she hadn't have thought she could trust me, she wouldn't have let me do that, but while I've come across some potentially dangerous sites, I've known enough not to click on them. I think kids are generally over-protected nowadays, they should be taught about what's dangerous and what isn't, and if they seem like they can be trusted, just let them be!