How To Introduce Your Child To The World Of The Internet

The internet has become a way of life for many families around the globe and millions more are yet to be introduced to the usage of the internet. Soon every child will have to be introduced to the world of the internet as soon as they go to kindergarten. Like television, the internet has to be introduced responsibly by parents to their little ones. This is because there are particular pitfalls that have unpleasant consequences if children are not properly guided in the usage of the internet.

There has already been many cases of children being lured by unscrupulous individuals and mercilessly exploited and even murdered. There are also many bad things that children can learn to do through the internet if not carefully introduced by their parents, teachers or any one in charge of bringing up a child.

Here in South Africa, people have been warned to be careful of picking up plastic bottles that have their caps closed. Some children have been reported to have poured a small amount of drain cleaning liquid into a plastic bottle and then closed its cap tightly, and leave it lying around to be picked up by unsuspecting persons. Once a person picks it up and shake it just slightly, it explodes, leading to scalded hands and face, lost nails and burned clothing. Some people have already been hospitalised with serious injuries from such deadly booby-traps.

One child who was caught putting such a booby trap next to a park bench, confessed to have learnt how to make this type of bomb over the internet.

Some children have also been lured to certain places around their cities only to be kidnapped, then abused, or harmed in some way. Other children have disappeared only to be found that it was through the internet that they were lured by their stalkers. Many more have been bombarded with pornographic, and other unwholesome images that have stolen their young innocence and thereby warped their young minds. Responsibly introducing your child to the internet is the key.

Other people have opted not to introduce their children to the world of the internet altogether. But this is useless. The internet has become a learning tool for millions of children and is soon going to be a way of life for every child around the world.

The thing to do is to give proper guidance instead of sticking our heads into the sand as the proverbial ostrich does. Like the bicycle, the swimming pool, electricity, or walking in a traffic clogged city street, children have to be introduced responsibly to the internet so as to survive in our highly technical world.