There's no telling what a child can encounter when they go online. A harmless visit to Facebook can lead to mature websites due to the advertisements that appear on the sidebar. A little searching on Google can direct them to adult websites. There's no guarantee what can appear on the web browser.

It's a given that parents must black adult sites. But should it be the only thing that parents must prevent their kids from visiting? Some sites seem harmless at first, but it can actually be too provocative even for kids in middle school. It's impossible for parents to monitor their kids' online activities 24/7, but they can at least make sure that they do not visit sites that can give them bad ideas or take away their useful time for studying.

Websites with mature content

Images shouldn't be the only thing parents must concern themselves with. Remember, it's not just adult sites that are inappropriate for minors. Some websites post content that are highly suggestive and mature. In many cases, the articles are the ones that should not be viewed by minors. For example, a men's magazine may talk about health and body-building but it also talks about highly mature topics.

Academic sites offering customized services

Though some academic sites look harmless, it's still a lot better if parents can check whether they're legit institutions or merely sites that offer custom writing services to students. Take Best Essays for example. Though it may seem like it only offer editing services, they also offer customized papers to students. If editing is something they need, it's better for students to ask parents or teachers to edit their essays for them.

It's good to instill honest values to your kids. But preventing them from going to sites that will lead to cheating and plagiarism is a necessary measure, too.

Social networking sites

There's no denying the fact that sites like Facebook and Youtube take away time from students. Instead of studying and doing their homework, many of them end up procrastinating and spending too much time in front of their computer. It must be said, though, that these sites have good points, too. What parents can do is to set how much time they can spend on such sites instead of totally blocking them.

If they can't monitor their kids when logging on Facebook, there are programs that can help with limiting the time spent on such sites. RescueTime is a good software you can try.

Other things you can do:

  • Learn about web content filtering for a more thorough blocking of unfriendly websites.

  • Block pop-up advertisements because it's home to many adult content.

  • Only let them on the computer for a limited amount of time every week.

  • Don't just block the websites but discuss with your children why you have to do it.

The internet offers a lot of learning opportunities to kids. It seems wrong to rub them off the chance to grow and explore all the wonders the internet has to offer. But for now, it's better to be on the safe side and lead them away from sites that can do them more harm than good.

Author's Bio: Paige Donahue is a writer and blogger based in Boston. She blogs at The Very Last Paige when she's not busy with her master's degree.

This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE