I’ve decided not to read my children’s emails, unless I have a reason to be concerned. Sometimes, invading the privacy of kids can have parents squirming.

Or more importantly, should you be your child’s Facebook friend? I know parents who’ve allowed their kids to be on social networking sites, as long as they can be friends (and oversee activity). I also know parents who have not made this requirement. Certainly, the decision should be based on the individual child–age, proven judgment, etc. And every parent has a different comfort level with social networking.
I do feel strongly, though, that if your child is on Facebook (or any social networking site), you should be too. There’s…

I have never given much consideration to children’s screen names and safety (except when my tween requested IM privileges with “CandyMan” — who, luckily, turned out to be a female fifth-grade friend and not the predator I’d conjured). So, I was all ears when a local Internet expert offered three great guidelines for safe screen names for kids:
1. Never use a name that indicates whether the child is a boy or girl. Obviously, this includes the child’s actual name.
2. Never use numbers in a screen name…

OK, I’ll admit it: As a parent, I get tired of saying no. That’s why I gravitate to plans or programs to help kids limit the length of time they spend in the front of the TV or on the computer, rather than the endless nagging: ”You’ve already used your TV time. (And this time I mean it.)” Here are some tricks that kids often find more palatable than a more straightforward “two hours per day” mandate.