Introduction

The Internet is a wonderful and diverse place, filled with incredible information and resources.  Yet for many parents and carers who often have less knowledge and experience of the Net, it can be a place of concern.  We all worry about who or what our children could come into contact with online and how we can protect them with limited knowledge.
Most children use the Internet safely and responsibly plus, we shouldn't lose sight of the Net's positive attributes.  A balance is needed between concerns for online safety and empowering children to explore and enjoy of this wonderfully rich resource, safe in the knowledge that they can talk to you about anything they may encounter.

How Do Your Kids Use the Internet?

Junior school children are becoming far more social and adventurous in their computer use.  They talk to their friends at school and learn about the newest and coolest sites.
All children at our school have Email accounts and many sign up for their first Instant Messaging (IM) accounts outside of school.  ASK your child about these accounts and what their passwords are so that you can monitor their activities and find out who they are communicating with.
Children at this age may also start to check out Social Networking sites, such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. Many of these sites have age restrictions on but most children are aware of how to change their birthdays on the registration forms to get around these restrictions! 
Junior children are also discovering their first interests in music and the Internet is an easy way to meet others who share their musical interests.
Online video sites such as YouTube are enormously popular. Many of the videos contain strong language or violent material, so you need to monitor your child's visits to these sites carefully.