May 2008
Safe surfing
These days, children learn computer skills at the same time they learn to read and write. While computers and educational
Web sites are great learning tools, the Internet can also pose danger to your child's physical safety. Be sure to monitor
the sites she visits and the amount of time she spends online. Follow the tips below and teach him that the stranger he meets
on line is still the stranger you told him to avoid. Look for these signs your child may be at risk online:
- Spends large amounts of time online, especially at night.
- Receives telephone calls from adults you don't know.
- Receives long-distance calls or calls from numbers you don't recognize, or makes calls to these numbers.
- Receives gifts or letters from people you don't know.
- Quickly shuts off the computer monitor or switches Web sites when you enter the room.
- Uses an online account belonging to someone else.
- Becomes withdrawn from the family.
