Today with KJ!

As fast as the internet has grown it has become a nest egg for information.  Although it is quite convenient to log on the internet and find information about anything that you can imagine - it can also be something that is convenient to your child.  Do you know what your children are browsing when they are online?  Have you played the game that they are playing?  If not, I strongly urge that you do.

I’m just like everyone else I love surfing the web and there is no water deep enough that I can’t survive in, but do I want that for my child?  Probably not, although playing games online can be the most popular way to entertain for most of us.  It can be critical when it comes to a child.  I have played a number of online games and communicating with several different types of people as well as ages.  Who would have thought that you could be running through a dungeon killing mobs with a group of four other online gamers together chatting and having a killing spree of fun.  It’s very exciting until after you have spent over an hour online with someone you just met that is using language that some old drunk man in lounge would use while arguing with the bartender, because they refuse to serve him anymore drinks.  Then someone pops the BIG question, “How old are you?” and they proudly reply, “I’m 13 why?” reality set’s in.  And the first thing that comes to your mind is - “If that was my child I would spank him/her.”

 Although most gaming developers and/or corporations are increasing their awareness for vulgar language while playing games online - they are still many years away from controlling the language of “other peoples kids.”  But most of us parents don’t think our child would be doing that online - I noticed it when my son first introduced me to online gaming.  Yes that is right my 8 year old son at the time asked me to buy him a retail copy of a popular online game and without any doubt I bought the game for him.  It was when he asked me to help him with a quest on the game that I realized, that there was some language being use in the general chat section.  It was then I decided to look further into what I was exposing my child to.  I repeat - what I was exposing my child to.  I didn’t wanna be the nasty parent and tell my child that I just spent almost 40 bucks on a game that he can no longer play.  So I did my research to find out if there was a way that we could filter the channels so that my child could enjoy the game without the grown up conversations that led anywhere from racism, sex and drugs.  And before I scare you any further - I did find a solution to the problem.  But as a parent you have to take some of these actions to help resolved those issues for your children.

1.  You should nonchalantly set down and offer to watch them play the game.

2.  Get involved with your children online.  (See what they enjoy the most.)

3.  If they are on any social networks - join that network and instantly become friends with them.

4.  Offer your assistance, help them browse and find online sites that are great for kids.  There are plenty of great sites for kids (Disney , Kidzui and Teenfaze.com)

Disney will allow you to set your homepage to their website. (click here)

The good thing is this, after researching the easy to find tabs within the game - I found that there was options to filter those general chats out, as well as they also made me aware that I can set a filter so that no one can whisper my children online if they were not added to their friends list.  This made me feel 100% more comfortable about my children playing this game.  But I urge all parents who have children browsing and/or involved in online gaming or things such as Youtube and Myspace to really research and find out how to filter the content that can be available to them.  If you find that your child is watching a video from various online social networks - then you better believe that they have the same access to content as you do unless you take action.

In a nutshell, control the content that your kids are being subject to.  Please feel free to ask me any questions regarding the safety of your children online.  For more information about child safety online go to the federal government website and keep up-to-date with internet security for children.  And as a team we can help protect our children online.

You heard it at Today with KJ

KJ