What do we do when our eight-year-old knows more than we do about cyberspace? How do we guide our
children safely through this new world? How do we set the rules when we don't even understand the risks?
The childproof locks, seatbelts and helmets we use to help keep them safe in everyday life won't protect
them in cyberspace. There we need new and different gadgets and safety tips.
Welcome to the new world of parenting online! It's your newest challenge. But don't worry...it's not as hard
as you think and it's well worth the effort.
Parenthood is never easy and the ground rules are always changing. We go from playing the role of confidante,
to co-conspirator, to police chief, to teacher, to playmate and back...all in the same day. We barely have the
chance to catch our breath!
The things we do to make sure our children stay safe are constantly changing too. When they crawl, we learn
how to keep things off the floor. Then, they pull themselves upright, we have to keep them safe from the new
dangers at eye level. Training wheels have to be removed, and we have to watch while they pedal away (generally
into the nearest tree). We watch their sugar intake, make sure they take their vitamins and keep small items
out of their mouths.
That's our job, as parents. So the tried and true warnings, passed down from generation to generation, are
repeated... "don't talk to strangers...," "come straight home from school...," "don't provoke fights...,"
"don't tell anyone personal information about yourself..." and "we need to meet your friends..."
This is familiar territory after all. We know the dangers our kids face in the street or at the mall or in the
school yard, because we faced them.
As in any large community, there are dangers our children encounter in cyberspace, too. But, since our
children know more than we do about cyberspace, we worry about how we can teach them to avoid those dangers.
Don't panic... those dangers can be managed using the same old warnings we've always used.
We just need to translate them into cyberspace terms...
Read the rest of this article ... (PDF)
Parry has devoted her expertise, since 1995, to enhancing cyber-security for
business and governmental entities, as well as preventing and investigating cyber-crimes, especially those that
arise in the workplace or relate to Internet predators. In this field, she often wears two hats -- one is her
commercial role of the cyber-lawyer focused on keeping businesses safe in cyberspace and improving e-commerce
and trust, while the other is her pro-bono hat where she is heavily involved in Internet safety and security
for children, senior citizens and victims of cyber-stalking and abuse. In her pro-bono role, she runs the
world's largest online safety and help group that works closely with all major law enforcement agencies
worldwide. To learn more about Parry's charitable work, visit WiredSafety.org and
WiredKids.org. She can be reached at parry@aftab.com.
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