Internet and children; influence of net on our child
89
Internet is one of the most successful technology that mankind has ever developed. It allows for easy and almost effortless dissemination of information in this information age. A lot of people – including children have come to embrace the endless opportunities that the internet can offer.
WHAT CAN THE INTERNET DO TO OUR CHILDREN?
The only bad thing about the internet is that people with ‘negative minds’ have so polluted the internet to the extent that the internet that is meant to be an efficient and effective way of disseminating information now become a medium to perpetrate all kinds of crime and fraud.
Porn and offensive contents have eaten deep in the internet. Our children that are supposed to use the internet to learn and have fun have all resorted to using the internet to feed their mind negatively. Online dating and gambling has become most lucrative online business that people now go into. Children of 12years now date online and participate in all kinds of online gambling and betting. Your children can even infect your computer with virus and other malicious codes that can make your computer malfunction.
The relevant authorities like Google have done their best to see they can rid offensive and mind corrupting content from the internet but cannot do much as they are only limited to exercise power over those that are connected to them one way or the other.
As it stands now, internet poses the greatest challenge to the upbringing of children. Parents are now at the verge of giving up to the struggle. A lot of parents have decided to leave everything to fate.
This is a bad approach as there are still much that parents can do to help bring up children that we all can be proud of as worthy ambassadors of our time and future generation. Some of the things that parents can do to curb the negative effects of internet on our children are as follows:
HAVE YOU LOST HOPE ON CONTROLING YOUR CHILDREN'S INTERNET ACCESS?
See results without votingMEASURES TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF INTERNET ON OUR CHILDREN
Educate them: educating your children on the negative effects of internet is the best way to safeguard your children from bad influences from the internet. Children learn best from their parents as God has made parents the first and best teachers of children. You can buy children educative programs that will bring out the negative effects of misuse of the internet by children.
Regulate their use of the internet: you and your children can reach a consensus on how the internet can be used. Threaten disconnecting from the internet if you ever discover that unsafe sites were accessed. Sit down with them to clearly define what the definition of unsafe site will include. Surprise them by mentioning the sites they visit each day. Just visit the history of the computer to find out what they have accessed. This will instill fear in them so that they will not have the mind of doing so in the future.
Working in collaboration with teachers: parents should have discussion with the teachers of their children. Tell the teachers the standard of internet access that can be given to the children.
Install software that restricts access to online content: One possible measure against children misuse of internet is to install softwares that prevent your computer to access websites with certain words that you need to specify in the software’s setting section. This is based on the assumption that your children only have access to the internet while at home and while in schools. Most schools now have all kinds of softwares preventing certain sites to be viewed.
Internet and children is a critical issue that every parent should always take serious.
CommentsLoading...
Wow! Princessa, I am honoured by this your comment. We really need to do our best in controling our children's access to the internet. Thanks for spending your scarce time on this hub and subsequently commenting.
Cheers!
Chinweike, I think the internet is becoming one of the biggest influences on our children and it is difficult to control it entirely. There are so many good things about it - it can help our children research interesting facts for school etc. - however, many of the sites out there are filled with trash and derogatory and even racial implications.
My son wants an Ipod touch for his tenth birthday in two weeks, but if he does have one he will not be allowed to use the internet access. You can disable it, and this is what we will do. He is allowed on the family computer, in a family room where one glance will give me an idea to what he is doing, but there is no way I am having him sitting in a corner with a tiny screen I can't see. Neither is he allowed the internet in his room.
My partner is an IT consultant and there isn't much he doesn't know about software and the like. However, I frequently find my son and his friends logging onto YouTube, where they are viewing a seemingly innnocent cartoon. Then I take a closer look and see that the cartoon is all about slicing someone's face off with a knife. Or cutting off the top of a baby's head. Or there is a song with the cartoon, and when I take a listen it is a racist song against people from another nation. All put on the internet without restriction by some complete idiot, when we are trying to become a more tolerant world. Of course, it is then turned off. But so easy for them to find in the first place, and what's more it doesn't contain content that is of an adult nature, therefore would not be filtered out with net nanny. And then there is the times he is at other people's houses, and I think many adults do not even know about these horrible cartoons, which appeal to children because of their child-like appearance - but live in blissful ignorance.
Thanks once again, Chinweike, for a great and important article. :)
Polly C , What a terrific contribution you have made. Some times it is hard to control how our children use the internet especially when they visit their friends. Istilling moral education in them at tender age I think will help them withstand the pressure from their peers to participate in watching unhealthy internet contents.
Thanks for this intelligent and insightful comment.
Cheers!
Very nice topic. nowadays, we all know that internet is the biggest media of communication. Our children are growing up in a global information society. Librarians in partnership with parents, educators, law enforcement officials, elected officials, online corporations, public interest groups, and the media must learn, and then teach our children the critical viewing and thinking skills that will help them decipher and evaluate this new world of information online. People of all ages must be able to distinguish between information that is useful and valuable and that which is not to assess, as well as to access. The Internet offers an exciting world to children, but it is essential that they learn to handle and reject content that may be offensive to their values, to respect many different points of view, and to adhere independently to online safety rules when confronted with uncomfortable situations. They must learn to make wise use of new information technologies and be accountable for safe and responsible online behavior. The entire community, including parents, public officials, media representatives, and librarians, can work together, each fulfilling our proper role to support children in learning to be wise consumers of new information technologies
afiqlead, you really have knowledge of the internet and children. Thanks for reading this hub and making this intelligent and wonderfully constructed comment.
Cheers!
Great piece of info for us teens as vr facing a lot of bad stuffs in the net the mis guide us
AJ, thanks for the comment. I am glad you realise that children are facing all sorts of information online thereby being misguided.
Hope you will not be misguided anymore?
Another thing that parents can do to limit their children to the negative exposures that abound on the internet is to use the parental control features that comes with most browsers. All that parent need do is select the kind of websites that the wards can visit and then password the settings.
net is very good to those who know the uses.
Now childrens are always looking sexy its so bad thing so please prevent these types of sites
- How to Protect Our Children's Innocence
We could all do more to protect our children's innocence by reminding them constantly of stranger danger and to to stay with their friends at all times. - 2 years ago
- Protect Our Children by Limiting Media Exposure
Protecting your children is a parent's primary responsibility. Unfortunately many parents do not realize that they need to protect their children from the media. The television is a wonderful invention,... - 2 years ago
- Choose Safe Toys for Your Children
Are your children's toys harmful? Choose safe toys for your children. - 2 years ago
- How To Build Your Child's Moral Values For A Strong Spiritual Foundation
Spiritual Principles need to be inculcated in every child in the home, school and church so as to fulfill their potential here on earth. Starting a family, a couple finds themselves learning to cope and manage... - 2 years ago
- Inhalant Abuse by Children
Inhalant abuse is a growing problem for our teens and children. The article lists common signs to look for on your child and it list some actions you can take as a parent. - 2 years ago
- How to Develop Children's Social Skill And Emotional Intelligence - Three Stunning Icebreaker Ideas
Developing Children's Social Skill benefits them in later age to face the uncertainties posed by life.The Surprising Discoveries about Childrens Emotional Intelligence Helps us do it better.Child's social development relies on the Development of Emotional Intelligence. - 2 years ago
- School Bus Safety - Why Don't School Buses Have Seatbelts?
Concerned about school bus safety? Wondering why school buses don't have seat belts? Read this to learn more and decide how you feel about this controvertial child safety issue... - 2 years ago
- Children's Health: Protecting Children From Toxins in the Home
Protecting children from toxins in the home is simple and inexpensive. In this article, I share easy solutions, tips and cleaning products that will help eliminate some of the toxins brought into the home. - 24 months ago
Princessa Level 3 Commenter 2 years ago
This is a very important topic as every day it becomes more and more difficult to control our children's access to internet. I control my children's access at home, but I was horrified to learn that they were watching some adult -mask as cartoons- content at a friends house.