Internet Addiction – Is your child at risk?

Ah, summer – lazy days, no homework, lots of free time…which is exactly what can cause problems for parents and kids.
With so much free time, kids may spend too much time on on-line entertainment that isn’t exactly healthy – and may even lead to an addiction. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that kids aged 8-18 spend over 7.5 hours a day on something like a smartphone, computer or other electronic device!

Since June is Internet Safety Month and to help raise awareness, we’ll profile some signs of internet addiction and give ideas on how to help combat this parenting challenge to help keep our kids safe.
These warning signs and tips are provided from a press release from SafetyWeb.com , a website that launched in May, dedicated to helping “give parents an opportunity to intervene if they suspect their kids’ safety, identity or online reputation is at risk,” according to the release.
Warning Signs of Possible Addiction:
Your child constantly checks email or changes status updates on their online profiles.
Your child gets angry or erupts if their time is interrupted on the computer.
Your child will miss appointments, skip meals, neglect ‘real life’ relationships or disengage in other activities to spend time on the computer.
They lose track of time when on the computer or lie about how much they use the computer.
They develop symptoms of anger or depression when they are away from the computer.
They use the computer as an outlet rather than talking to you or confiding in friends.
SafeyWeb.com also gives some suggestions on how to help with these symptoms:
Limit your child’s time on the computer. Designate time (30-60 minutes per evening) for social time. Use an alarm clock or a timer if you have trouble keeping track of the time.
Keep a family computer in a den or family room where it is out in the open, and encourage use of the computer in shared space rather than private bedrooms.
Ask your child to help you prepare meals and eat them together -without a T.V. or computer.
Plan regular activities – - a bowling night or let them have a sleepover – -or any other activity that requires live human interaction, and not a computer monitor. (I would add – get outside as a family – a park, picnic, swimming pool or hike since it IS summer)
Help your child develop hobbies, or encourage the ones they have that do not involve lots of time in front of the computer.
Encourage your child to communicate via phone calls rather than instant messages or online chatting to keep in touch with friends.
These tips will not only help alleviate any issues, they’re also just good family habits to make a regular part of your lives. Best of luck and have a fun summer together!
About SafetyWeb, Inc. SafetyWeb is the leading service simplifying online safety by helping parents guard their children’s online safety, identity and reputation. The service monitors the web to deliver reports and immediate alerts on irregularities and dangers associated with kids’ and teens’ online activity. Because SafetyWeb acts as an online guardian angel, they arm parents with information to determine acceptable and healthy online behavior. The company was founded in 2009 by Michael Clark and Geoffrey Arone, who have worked on web sites that combined, serviced over 200 million register users. For more information on online safety made simple, visit: www.SafetyWeb.com