How To Effectively Spy On Your Kid's PC Time

There are many methods to control your child's online time. Here you'll discover one easy way that is free and gets instant results.

The Problem

Today's parents have to be vigilant about knowing what their children are doing online. There are many methods to prevent their children from surfing undesirable sites when they are online. Each of the methods has its strengths and its weaknesses, but one method stands out above all the others when it comes to maximum effectiveness.

For adults who throw up their hands and claim it is too difficult to keep track of what their children are doing on the computer, I have a comparison that they can take to heart. Would they have the same reaction if the topic was playing with matches on the parlor rug? Then why is the discussion of computer usage any different?

Age Verfication

Age warning pages or minimum age verification checks on websites reasonably cover the webmaster from a legal standpoint for trying to keep out those who are not old enough to view the content of the website. Of course, from a teenager's viewpoint, those filters only make the website more interesting and they no doubt check off the age box in whatever way will get them into the site.

Help At The ISP Level

Popular search engines and a number of ISP's have "parental locks" similar to the V-Chip on televisions. The purpose of these is to block access to sites that have inappropriate content. Parents can set search engine start to only return results of an acceptable nature. There are usually levels of "safety" that parents can choose.

Parents also spend lots of money on filtering software such as Norton Internet Security, K9 Web Protection, ContentBarrier, and other similar products. While they are probably pretty effective, website filtering software has its share of quirks too. The usual example is that the filters block medical or medical related information such as thoat belonging to various breast cancer foundations because those sites make reference to anatomy.

Getting More High-Tech

Stepping it up a notch technology wise, there are software solutions known as keyloggers. Keyloggers record what has been input on a keyboard and can display that information. Essentially, keyloggers are allowing parents} to discover what has been typed on a keyboard long after the typing is finished. I should also mention programs that can record everything that takes place on a computer including, chat room discussions, e-mail messages, e-mails, email conversations sent and received, pictures saved, and IP addresses visited. Some programs even allow you to put in place a system to alert when a violation occurs such as a teen visiting a Internet address that a parent or guardian has restricted.

Any or all of the above ideas may contribute to a parent's overall plan to protect his or her children from the threats of the modern online world, but there is still one more suggestion that every parent should put into use right now.

Creatively Solving The Problem

The best solution is absolutely the most obvious one, which means that is easily overlooked. It can be stated in one sentence; it fosters family togetherness and it's free. Ready? Put the PC smack dab in the middle of the main room of the house!

Do you need a little while to get over the shock of this idea? I warned you that the brilliance would be in the simplicity. Undoubetdly you can imagine the look of shock on your son's face and the screams of complaint from your daughter that you are ruining her life and totally invading her privacy with this act of parental treason. You will have to put a stop to the arguments that your children's friend's parents let them have their net access in their own rooms.

Good parenting skills should never be based on the neighbors and their behavior unless they are exemplary role models as parents. In that case, I can practically guarantee that your their children will never beg you to imitate their parenting techniques.

Parents, stay strong and don't be afraid to get that computer front and center in the parlor immediately and you will never again have to wonder what your kids post on their blogs and with whom they are chatting via IM.