The internet has quickly become the place to go for unlimited resources, new friendships with people from around the country and the globe, and, of course, entertainment.  Children are beginning to understand the value of the internet as well.  While computers are proving to have a great many uses for children, it is frightening as a parent to imagine all of the real world possibilities for exposure to unhealthy things.  However, in a society where we are relying more and more on what our computers can do for us, it is an issue that must be dealt with.

Here are some steps for making a computer and the internet an educational, useful, and safe tool for children.

• Talk with your children about your boundaries.  Tell them what you think is appropriate to view and play on the computer and what is not appropriate.
• Set up a list of firm rules.  It is one thing to tell children about your boundaries, it is another to have clear expectations for following your guidelines, and even consequences should a child decide to stretch those guidelines.  One of these rules should include NEVER giving out any personal information whatsoever, without an adult present.
• Set your browser to disallow pop-ups.
• Set up a safety filter.  There are many options for filtering content on the internet.  A little research will help you find one that is right for your family.  My family uses Glubble, primarily as a kid-friendly browser.
• Make a list of approved websites.  You might need to do some research for this one, but it is good for parents to know what is out there.  Ask friends for some recommendations.  Check out the American Library Associations’s Great Websites for Kids site.
• Check the computers cache periodically.  It is important to trust one’s own children, however it is also important to not turn a blind eye to potential dangers.
• If you allow your pre-teen or teen to join social sites such as Facebook and Myspace, make the first requirement to add you as their friend so you can patrol connections and content.

And the winner of a Print Membership to ListPlanIt is. . .Elizabeth!

Each weekday in February, ListPlanIt.com is spotlighting an area of life that might benefit from the hundreds of lists and planning pages available through membership, ePlanners, and more, and giving you a chance to win!

Today, 3 people will be receiving the Family ePlanner, including our Computer Usage Rules page.  All of our ePlanners are downloable bundles that can be viewed, typed into, printed, and stored neatly on your computer

Here are a list of the ways to enter each giveaway, each day.

• leave a comment on this post,

• tell your friends & followers about today’s giveaway on Facebook or Twitter (so easy to do when you use the Share This button at the bottom of this post) and leave a comment here linking to your profile,

• subscribe to ListPlanIt’s RSS feed using a reader or by email and leave a comment here,blog about this giveaway and

• then leave a comment here linking to your post.

One of each of these per day please. Come back tomorrow to see who won and to see what else we are giving away.