How can I generate positive interest in my child regarding the internet?

[Ahmed]

All she does is use Facebook and play stupid and senseless games. I have sucessfully blocked facebook ( using "The Web Blocker" very good software! ) but now I fear that she may start viewing aldult content or something like that....What to do I'm so confused?!?!
Is there any way to teach her to explore the positive side of the internet. She is 12 years old. Can you sugget some creative and fun websites??

Thanks!

[halolovehina]

Facebook IS the positive side, if you take that away who knows what she will see. Let her go on it, if anything it makes sure she has friends.

[Salman Salman]

1) Buy a really good porn site blocker. It is really important.
2) Ask youself if computers are really healthy for kids while they should be playing outdoors.
3) The negative side of the internet is around 99.99%

[Bones]

Yeah, you made a mistake blocking her from Facebook. Generally speaking, Facebook is an age appropriate site because she would typically add peope that are her age and family. Blocking her from that entitles even more boredom and she would be more likely to go on porn sites, brutality sites, hate sites and so on.

You should have Norton Internet Security or McAfee (I think), they are programs you buy to update the computer. From there, you can control content that she can see and monitor her Internet use. Like if she's on inappropiate sites or not. You can also program the computer to log off after an hour or so.

I would not install itwithout her knowledge, however. She should know that she is being monitored because I believe it's an invasion of privacy in a way.

And the best games out there are the sports in the real world

[JJ]

There's really no point in using website blockers, because none of them work very well and kids will eventually find a way around them, since their generation is much more technologically gifted.
If you really want to avoid her seeing inappropriate content, you have to be with her when she's using the net. Put the computer in a main area of the house like the kitchen or living room, where you can easily check up on what she's doing.
Let her use Facebook, because it's really a positive thing and promotes social interaction. Taking away Facebook would be like if your mother had forbidden you from using the telephone!
I'm not totally sure what you expect her to be doing other than socializing and playing games. Should she be preparing a thesis or something? Yes, there are many sides of the Internet...but there are so many sides to it, that I couldn't possibly tell you anything specific. It depends on what her interests are. Whatever they are, she can increase her knowledge of them with the Internet.


Don't bother buying Norton or McAfee as a previous answerer suggested. Those are firewall/anti-virus programs, which are basically just scams because you don't need them...waste of money, slows down your computer...these types of programs are basically obsolete these days.

[Stevie The Awesome]

Try this, quit letting her use the internet for a year or two. Not important. Make her play board games and ride her bike. It keeps her young longer

[Kaz49]

First of all, you need to understand that the internet is part of a child's world. They need to develop the understanding that their online and offline identity is one - they should not have separate identities. How they behave online should be guided by the morals they have offline. She should not be on Facebook until 13 so she has lied somewhere to get access - that is an issue for you to discuss with her - discuss why Facebook may have those rules and what the consequences could be for under 13s accessing it. Children will come across inappropriate web content and they need to know that if something makes them feel uncomfortable, they can come to you and you will help them understand or get rid of it. Have the computer in a public place in your house too.