Parental Control Software
The internet offers amazing technology, one in fact that many of us cannot do without. Unfortunately, neither can our children. The internet offers several websites, applications and educational services that can serve as a benefit to their development. There are also a plethora of entertainment and social networking sites that most children live for. However, there is a dark side to the internet consisting of many elements no one should be exposed to, let alone children. As a parent you essentially have two options: ban your child from using the internet or the computer altogether, or install internet parental control software to keep them safe. Let's look further into both options:
Option 1
Completely restricting your child from the internet is certainly something to consider, but it's not the best solution for various reasons. The internet contains a tremendous amount of information that can be utilized to assist with school work or prepare them for career opportunities in the future. Secondly, banning your child from the internet could actually stunt their social development and ultimately impact your relationship with them. As parents we have to understand that times have changed and the internet is a method commonly used to communicate with classmates and friends. Total restriction could also force them to rebel and seek other ways to obtain internet access. This may lead to greater dangers where a child is browsing the web without your consent, thus becoming exposed to adult content or worse.
Option 2
Parental control software is the perfect solution to prevent the situations mentioned above. This type of program can easily be installed on the family computer or your child's personal computer. Parent control software protects your children in various ways and includes the following features:
Blocking - This gives you the ability to block and control specific internet programs that have access to email, chat rooms and file sharing.
Filtering - This allows you to control the websites your children are able to access. You can select specific categories and decide which sites they are allowed to view.
Monitoring - This allows you to monitor all the activities your child conducts online. You can find out about the messages they sent, who they've been chatting with and more. Web Watcher is one such program that enables this capability in real-time from a remote location.
The biggest concern in regard to parental control software is the possibility of children learning to circumvent or disable the settings. Fortunately, there are many high quality programs with features that make circumvention almost impossible. For parents who are busy with the everyday routine of working and providing for their family, parental control software is truly a lifesaver.
Parental control software is effective but it is not the only or best solution. The most important thing you can do as a parent is to openly communicate with your children about real, everyday dangers related to the internet. By doing this, they are more likely to confide in you when receiving suspicious emails or being approached with sexual solicitations. The best way to deal with such situations is by knowing about it and then taking immediate action to resolve them.
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