The Internet - its a real world out there !	One of the best analogies for the Internet is that it is like bringing a city into your living room. Just as there are lots of places in a city where you would want to take your children to, there are also a great number of places which are dangerous and not appropriate for children. As a parent or carer it is therefore vital that you know where your children are going online and make sure they stay safe.
But my kids know more than I do !	Many adults can feel intimidated by using the Internet and are baffled by some of the terms and technology. While it is true that many children take to the Internet quicker than adults, children still need parental advice and protection in using this new tool. It is important that you learn about the issues and the simple steps outlined below so you can keep children safe. Don't put it off! You don't need to know everything about the Internet and all the technical details - after all you can teach your children the importance of wearing a seat belt in a car without understanding how the car engine works !
PARENTS AND CARERS NEED TO:
1	Keep the computer in a family room not locked away in a bedroom. Take the time to learn how the Internet works and spend time surfing together with your children and learn from them. There are some excellent online guides written for parents which explain how the Internet works and how to get the best out of using it with your children. See BBC webwise campaign http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/ and Children's Partnership
2	Make sure you tell your children to be wary of strangers they meet online. Just in the same way as you are wary of a stranger knocking on your door make sure your children never reveal any personal details about themselves, school or family, (address, telephone numbers, photographs etc). Make sure they don't use your credit card number without permission. Go through the SMART TIPS with them.
3	Be especially careful about your children using Chat rooms unsupervised - especially those which are not moderated. Visit Childnet's CHAT DANGER website. Don't allow your children to ever meet anyone they have contacted via the Internet without you going with them
4	Encourage your children to stick to the positive sites that you want them to see, and not to the ones that you don't. Just as you look out for good TV programmes for children, take the time to find the best and most useful websites for you and your family. See Childnet's Launchsite directory of 50 excellent online projects which are safe for children and Childnet's Awards programme to see inspirational ways in which children are using the Internet for good.
5	Consider using filtering software which restricts access to certain parts of the Internet. Remember such software is no substitute for good parental involvement. See Filters and Rating Guide
6	Discuss Internet Safety with your children. Discussing the potential dangers with your children needs care and sensitivity and involves helping them to see the dangers for themselves. Most children will respond more positively if you encourage them to be SMART or "Cool" on the Internet rather than giving them a list of "Thou Shalt Nots" ! See SMART RULE
7	Know who to report to if you come across harmful or illegal material on the Internet - See HOTLINES to find the right hotline in your country.
	Childnet has helped produce a comprehensive Safe Surfing Guide for the UK based Internet Watch Foundation which contains more information on how parents can keep their children safe online
	Childnet has worked with Disney on producing a special guide for how parents can introduce the computer to very young children