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| The Internet is like a huge
department store; sometimes the number of items available is totally
overwhelming. You can literally get lost in this store, often very
quickly. More importantly, as in many department stores, the quality
of internet merchandise varies from discount store "seconds" to first rate
quality. You need to become smart, informed consumers. Don't
get the term "consumer" confused with actually purchasing on the
web. This context refers to consumption of information available on
the world wide web. Being able to evaluate websites is important in order to become intelligent internet users. As the scope of the Internet continues to increase to its incomprehensible size, this ability to evaluate information is crucial to saving time and ensuring accurate, quality research. Websites should be judged on the same criteria as print resource: authority, accuracy, currency, objectivity and coverage. For those of you who need to assist your child the Internet is like a huge public library with no card catalog. Vast amounts of information are available on every topic and subject imaginable. When we need to help our children with their homework, there are a number of internet sites that offer ongoing homework help by providing access to research materials, online tutorials and tips for parents to use. |
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| Keeping your children safe
as the cruise the information superhighway is no easy task. The
Internet is a great resource with all kinds of helpful and interesting
information, but it's not without its pitfalls. You want your
children to be able to access the information on the internet, but you
worry about inappropriate material and unsavory
characters. There are many sites that offer parents tips on internet safety here are a few: |
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| 1. Be an involved parent and provide supervision. Take an
interest and find out what your children like to do online. 2. Take some time to educate yourself about the Internet, be prepared and decide what you will say if your child runs into an uncomfortable situation. 3. Teach your children how to be safe on the internet. In school the children sign an agreement on how they will use the internet. You can create an internet contract that everyone must sign. Keep it close to the computer for easy reference. 4. Take the computer out of the children's room and place it in a high traffic area where they're less likely to engage in risky behavior. 5. Use filtering software such as Cyber Partrol or Net Nanny and set up your browser to help filter inappropriate content. |
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This advice is meant to complement your involvement and provide a backup when you can't give your children your full attention. Technology should never take the place of an involved parent. With the correct combination of tools, you can rest assure that your children are traveling the information superhighway safely. |
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