by Tina Z. Velgos

Would you let your kids play in the middle of a busy highway? Didn't think so. What if that highway was the Information Superhighway? Both examples could be risky.

Can you keep your kids out of trouble on the Internet? With some parental supervision, it shouldn't be a problem. Without any supervision, the Internet could be a Pandora's Box of trouble for kids of any age. I wouldn't fork over the keys to my shiny black Corvette to my teenager, for example, unless I knew my kid was responsible enough to handle the power. Yeah, right. In the same light, by letting your kids roam through the Information Superhighway, you are turning over your keys. Just where the kids travel is anyone's guess.

Sure, you've heard and read the stories about pornography on the Internet, how you never know who you're really talking to in chat rooms, and that you and the kids should never give out your names, home addresses and phone numbers, let alone credit card numbers, online. But, have you ever thought that kids might find fun on the Internet that adults would classify as pranks or practical jokes? Antics like disrupting chat room conversations (even by repeatedly entering characters or commands) , using bad language, and giving out bogus credit card numbers to establish introductory online service accounts are just a few examples of what could happen if your kids are unsupervised, online and using your modem as a babysitter.

Since the Internet is a fabulous resource for kids, I think that setting guidelines and limitations would help thwart any possible cyber-trouble that the kids could get into. There are endless Web pages to explore for kids and parents which really provide valuable insight and learning (and of course, you've reached one of the premiere Web sights at WorldVillage!).

It's not too unreasonable to sit next to the kids and observe their Internet travels. Once you feel comfortable with that, just being in the same room with them, but not necessarily looking over their shoulders, could be adequate supervision. (Hey, there's always binoculars!)

Reinforce the concept that when kids do go online, they use their own screen-name, and not yours. By pretending to be other people, kids get daring. If you have one single-user account, you should actively monitor your kids.

Use online time as a reward if your kids do their homework in a timely manner, clean their rooms without too much of a struggle, or heaven forbid, do the dishes. Award a set time (say, 15 minutes) limit for the kids to be online and enforce it.

Make your kids promise they won't divulge their online passwords to their friends, or their friends' friends. If your kids do receive warnings (some Internet service providers issue "online warnings" which parents may not be aware of), discuss the importance of any warnings, even if they think they were warned unfairly.

Don't use your Internet service provider as a babysitter. Although the kids may seem quiet and content, you may not know half of what they may be seeing and/or downloading . Also, if the modem is connected to your only phone line, you may not be able to get through to your home phone number, in case of emergency.

Of course, when you and your family enroll with an Internet service provider, your intentions are wonderful. You agree to be a good citizen (or netizen, if you insist). Major Internet service providers can terminate your account after violating their rules. Families can obviously lose their online accounts and privileges through their mischievious kids. It becomes a parental duty, therefore, to educate your kids on what's cool and what's not cool before they are allowed online.

Kids have to be reminded that being online is very different than playing a video game. There's a worldwide audience of eyes gazing through the chasms of the cyberworld. Forget about the latest demographics studies. The point is, we don't know exactly who uses the Internet and probably never will.

Where to draw the boundaries for your kids on the Internet is your challenging task. For instance, I don't believe it's crucial for kids to participate in chats. Sure, they are popular, but are chats vital? Start with eliminating chat privileges and play it by ear. There's a bunch of neat stuff for kids to download on the Net, shareware opportunities abound (don't forget to pay your share ). Of course, you might want to occasionally monitor what the kids are downloading. There are mindless games out there, and violent games, too. It is, again, a parental responsibility where you draw the line on what is good and what isn't for your kids.

Times have definitely changed, but whoever said it would be easy being a parent? Surf's up. Ride safely.

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