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What's Happening Next Door?
Establishing Internet Rules for Home and Away
By Laura Paul
Most people are used to parenting their children offline. They would not allow their son or daughter to go to a party where there will be underage drinking. However, it's equally important to parent online, says Hughes.
Beyond getting to know the parents of children's play friends, Hughes says parents need to ask specific question such as: Do you have protected Internet service? Do you have filters on? What are your rules for Internet usage? Is the computer in a public area of the house or is it in the kid's room? Find out about video games, television and movies the child may view as well as Internet access. If the parents don't use filters or parental controls, then it is more than acceptable to let the parent know the child cannot be on the Internet during the visit.
It's also important to keep the lines of communication open with the child so he or she will discuss online activities without being fearful. By age 6 or 7, most children have already been exposed to pornography on the Internet, says Hughes. "I find even today parents are shocked when I tell them how the pornographers and predators operate and the kind of pornography that is out there, stuff they can't even image like hard core sex, bestiality, rape porn and child porn and even baby porn is on the boom," she says. "They are just stunned. I say, 'Look your kids have probably already seen this. You have to get your head out of the stand.'"
Even though it's tough to juggle family and work responsibilities, the last shortcut a parent should take is using the Internet as a virtual baby-sitter. "These kids are just so vulnerable to all of these issues and problems and the worst area of it all is on the Internet," she says. "At least what's coming through on television and films and stuff like that is regulated. You may not like it but at least it's legal and regulated. It's fair game on the Internet."
