The Internet has rapidly become a part of our daily lives at work and home as well as a daily part of children's lives at school and play. Children are provided with countless opportunities via the Internet, but there are countless dangers as well.

Parents, friends and relatives of children must be aware of the dangers and know what preventative steps to take that will ensure children are safe while they are traveling in the `cyber world'.

Even if you don't have a computer or Internet access in the home, your children still have easy access to the Internet. A recent study reported that more than 30 percent of U.S. schools have Internet connections in the classroom and more than 70 percent of all U.S. schools have student access to the Internet through computer labs, libraries or media centers.

Here are a few tips that you can take to protect your children while they are surfing the Internet.

1. Put your home computer in the family room, den or

the room where your family spends most their time while at home. This will allow you to closely monitor their use of the Internet.

2. Establish rules for using the Internet and discuss them with your children. Identify “How, When, Where and Why” they will access and use the Internet. Remember to frequently monitor their use of the Internet to ensure they are following the rules.

3. Decide if you are going to use parental software programs and if so, install them before your children access the Internet. Review your software operating instructions completely and make sure that you test it fully before letting your kids get on-line. (Many parental control programs are available free via the Internet, but choose wisely to determine if they meet your specific needs.)

4. Talk with your children's teachers or school administrators to learn about the school's policies on the use of the Internet while they are at school. Ask how students' Internet use is monitored and/or controlled. Make sure that your school children fully understand the schools policies and the ramifications if they fail to follow them.

5. Make sure that your children understand they are not to share personal information on the Internet. Don't assume that your children already know. Children sitting in a room alone with their computer may find it difficult to understand that there are other people on the other side of their computer monitor when they are connected to the Internet. Keep in mind that many children think of the computer as a video game or television and do not consider that information placed on the Internet can be seen by millions of other people. Depending on their age, children are more trusting by nature and do not consider the dangers of sharing personal information on the Internet or talking with others they have never met.

6. Look signs of `Internet Addiction.' Check your Internet access frequently to see if your child is spending too much time on the Internet. If they begin using Internet terms frequently in daily conversations, are losing sleep, or go straight to the computer when they get home from school, maybe they are spending too much time on the Internet.

It might be helpful to remember that when children use the Internet they are out among the world, and it's not much different than allowing them to travel the world alone. Even though they may seem secure in your home or at school while surfing the Internet, the dangers of the real world are lurking close by.

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