Do you allow your six year old child to surf the net unguarded?
By Masmasika
@Masmasika (1921)
Philippines
October 6, 2008 9:54am CST
The internet has so many disadvantages to a very young child. If the child already knows how to surf, she might be able to gain access to the sites that she is not suppose to see. With no one with the child, there is always the possibility that the child could see things that are unfit for them.
I haven't had any experience regarding this when my child was six because that time we have no computer yet at home but when he grew older, he started going to internet cafe's. I always go to the internet cafe' to check if it is a good place for children. Some cafe's allow surfers to surf in the restricted sites that are not for young people. Children of all ages now are very good in surfing and if they are left unguarded who knows what they could see in the internet?
Do you check on what your child is surfing or doing in the internet? Do you allow your six year old child to surf the net unguarded?
1 person likes this
11 responses
@SukiSmiles (1991)
• United States
10 Oct 08
No way do I let my kids on the internet unguarded and they are 9 and 11. My son was just asking for an email address a couple weeks ago. He needed for a game he wanted to download. He got a big no for both of those.
@Ithink (10106)
• United States
7 Oct 08
My youngest it to young to get on thou she likes to pretend she is doing things on it. The others in the house are 13, 16, 17. When I am home I over see them as our computers are in the same room maybe 4 feet apart so I can see all that they are doing. I have also informed them I will find out what they have been up to even if Im not at home, told them Mom knows all and to them it probably seems I do at least when it comes to the computer. LOL!
The youngest any of mine where when they got on was about 10 and then they were overseen too. My older teens know I withhold the right to see what they are doing, who they are talking to and what is being said at any time. That is just the way it is.
There are to many evils in the world to not protect your children when possible.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I sit with my six year old son and follow what he surfs online. There are a few childrens sites he likes to go and play games on like noggin, pbs kids and sorts. He also reads e-books online and has sites that were suggested by his school to visit to help with his maths and english skills. He usually sits at the coffee table in the lounge where we all sit and I observe him from the side. Sometimes I join in the games and other times I observe and let him play away.
@wanderer086 (759)
•
7 Oct 08
I think children should always be supervised when they are on the internet. There are so many dangers for children. Peple who are pedophiles use the internet to lure children to places were they an be abused or worse. No matter what children say about not visiting sites they are not supposed to there is always the temptation especially if they have friends who do it.
@belk89 (1103)
• Philippines
7 Oct 08
I will never allow my child use the net unguarded. Internet are no longer safe and there are a lot of violence and immorality that they can see online. As a parent it is very important that you guide your child whenever they use the net. Unless if you have subcribed your net to a program where only educational sites are shown then that is the time you can leave your child unsupervised.
@taratara (1)
• Philippines
7 Oct 08
Thank you for this topic Ms. Masmasika, Now Im going to check may sons doings at the internet cafe. Coz my son always at net cafe and i don't even check if what he is doing coz i assume that he is only playing. My son is already 10 years old now and he is fond of going at net cafe. How could i stop him from this activity for we all know that children are all addict in games at net. Is there any advice you can give me? The best for he wont get mad at me coz he always feel that im always strict with him.
@emarie (5440)
• United States
6 Oct 08
my children are only allowed on the internet if i'm there with them. i don't let them go alone because they don't know how to work it properly yet and i don't want them to mess up the computer. i think i'd always monitor their time, especially when they get older, which is something parents should do now. i know what i did on the internet when i was younger, my mother didn't watch or care, so i'm not going to be like that.
@vijigopi (991)
• United States
6 Oct 08
I rarely allow my 6 year old to go online. But when I do, I always stay in the same room so I know what she's seeing and what she is trying to play with. It would mostly be some children's websites where she can play some games and activities that interest her. I guess I have to learn how to restrict what she is not supposed to see online before it is too late. 
@mercuryman3a (2477)
• India
7 Oct 08
I have two daughters and I never permitted them to surf the net unguarded till they were old enough to distinguish right from wrong. In fact they startd surfing the net on their won only after they went to college.
@chinna533 (309)
• India
7 Oct 08
now a days internet has became a much needed one in home pc's.and simultaneously it has an equal disadvantages ..so it will be not required for a tiny six year old child to browse or surf the net unguarded.. and he doesn't know either.........
@thanujad (405)
• Sri Lanka
6 Oct 08
We have two computers at home. Internet facility is there only in my PC. I hace 13 and 9 year old daughters but I don't allow them to surf the internet. I've explained and told them the reason I don't allow them to do it. They understand. They learn Computer as a subject in school and I think that's more than enough for them. When kids get's use to surf the net they might lose the interest in studding. So I don't approve kids sufing the net till they finish school.
