Guidelines for online safety By Rachael Bender The Internet has a lot to offer your children, but there are potential dangers. In order to minimize the risks and maximize your child's online learning follow these guidelines. • Keep the computer in the living room or family room so you can monitor your child's online activity • Make sure that you child knows that he should never give out identifying information such as a his or her full name, phone number, address or school name. • If your child wants to meet someone face to face make sure you are the one who sets it up and you supervise the meeting. Also arrange the meeting in a park, mall or other public place. • Explain to your child that people are not always who they seem when they are online. It is very easy for predators to act like a 10-year-old girl when they are really a 50-year-old man. • Post a list of online safety rules on or nearby the computer. Get a printable list from SafeKids.com • Install an Internet filter to keep your children from accidentally seeing pornography, curse words or other inappropriate material. • Share your child's email address so you can screen out any inappropriate emails. • Make sure your children report any messages that they receive which make them uncomfortable to you. Notify your ISP about any unwanted messages and block the sender from sending your child any other messages. Rachael Bender is the co-founder of BlueSuitMom.com and the mother of one.