Online safety tips for kids ages 9 to 12
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The preteen years are a time of rapid change in kids' lives. Although at this age kids are still quite dependent on their families, they want more independence.
Kids who are 9-12 years old also start to take an interest in the world around them, and relationships with friends become important.
What 9-12 year olds do online
Kids in this age group use the Internet to research school projects. They also download music, use e-mail, play online games, and vote for their favorite celebrities on fan sites. Their preferred way to communicate with friends is by instant messaging (IM).
Safety tips
Here are some safety tips to consider as you guide your 9-12 year olds online:
| • | Create a list of Internet house rules with participation from your kids. |
| • | Keep Internet-connected computers in an open area and out of your kids' bedrooms. |
| • | Investigate Internet-filtering tools (such as MSN Premium's Parental Controls) as a complement—not a replacement—for parental supervision. |
| • | Talk with your kids about their online friends and activities just as you would about their other activities. |
| • | Insist that your kids never agree to meet an online friend in person. |
| • | Allow your kids to use only monitored chat rooms on reputable kids' sites. |
| • | Teach your kids never to give out personal information when they use e-mail, chat rooms, or instant messaging, fill out registration forms and personal profiles, and enter online contests. |
| • | Teach your kids not to download programs without your permission—they might unintentionally download spyware or a computer virus. Also, teach your kids that if they share files or take text, images, or artwork from the Web it might violate copyright laws. |
| • | So that your child won’t participate in activities without your knowledge, give your child a limited user account. |
| • | Encourage your kids to tell you if something or someone online makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened. Stay calm and remind your kids they are not in trouble if they bring something to your attention. Praise their behavior and encourage them to come to you again if the same thing happens. Read more about how to deal with online predators and cyberbullies. |
| • | Talk to your kids about online pornography and direct them to good sites about health and sexuality. |
| • | Insist on access to your kids' e-mail and instant messaging accounts to make sure they don’t talk to strangers. |
| • | Talk to your kids about responsible, ethical, online behavior. They should not use the Internet to spread gossip, bully, or make threats against others. |
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