Tuesday 7th February is Safer Internet Day - check out Alex's top tips for helping your children prepare to enjoy the internet safely:
Thanks to these people from creative commons: tm22, Wilson (Army Gal), t Base Lewis McChord and Pusteblumenland .
The Internet can be a great source of fun and learning for your child, and you needn't be frightened of your child using it if you follow some simple rules.
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Always sit with young children when they use the Internet.
With an older child who wants to explore on their own, it is a good idea to keep the computer in a family room or a place you share.
Be aware you can adjust browser settings and filters to protect children from unsuitable sites. For more help with this check out the Net SMART rules.
Talk to your child about how to stay safe and let them know they can speak to you if they find themselves in any sort of trouble.
There are plenty of safe places for children to play and learn on the web, get to know them and maybe save these as short-cuts in your favourites folder.
Social networking sites aimed at grown-ups, such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter, are not suitable for children. The suggested minimum age for most social networking sites is 13.
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Here are some useful links if you want to know more about keeping yourself and your family safe online:
NSPCC - Keeping your child safe online
Thinkuknow -Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre
CBBC's Stay Safe
BBC Health - Internet Safety
BBC Webwise - Share Take Care
