Computers are a part of daily life. Most adults use them at work and children generally use them at school. For many, sitting at the kitchen table with a pencil and paper to do homework has been replaced with working on a computer to research information and complete homework. With such a wealth of information available on the Internet, homework can often be completed much faster. However, it is still important for parents to monitor their children's computer use to prevent and limit their exposure to inappropriate material.
Step 1
Store a home computer in a common area vs. in the confines of a private room, advises Kidshealth.org. This helps to reduce the likelihood of a child engaging in unsafe behavior online or communicating in an unappropriate manner.
Step 2
Turn on content controls provided by standard operating systems, such as Safari or Microsoft. These options can typically be accessed under the Tools menu when the computer's internet browser is open. These controls often allow parents to restrict specific websites or to choose a general security filter that the operating system will use to gauge whether a site is appropriate to open.
Step 3
Review the browsing history regularly. This can typically be accessed by clicking on the Tools menu. Be advised that the browsing history can also be deleted so the history may not be available. Reviewing the browsing history allows parents to view what sites have been accessed over a given period of time. If these sites are inappropriate, they can add them to the restricted sites list mentioned in Step 1. Once these sites have been discovered, parents should talk to their kids about why they shouldn't visit such sites.
Step 4
Download and install anti-distraction software. Anti-distraction software limits the ability for the user to access certain websites when they should be focused on a certain tasks. A number of software options vary according to the primary function the user needs. For example, LeechBlock is one of the most comprehensive options, states The New York Times. LeechBlock is among the software that enables the user to identify sites that are time-wasters and "tell" the software when access to these sites should be limited. This software can prevent the accidental navigation to inappropriate sites as well as sites that inhibit a child's productivity when he should be doing homework or researching information for school
