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Drug and alcohol addiction and abuse. Recognition. Prevention. Treatment

20/20 Parenting. Recognizing and mitigating early vulnerabilities and risk factors.

Addictive Activities - Internet

Samantha Wilson, Mom of 2, former law enforcement officer

Samantha Wilson is an internationally recognized expert in child and family safety, speaker, syndicated columnist and a former cop. She is the founder and president of Kidproof (child safety), a national child safety education agency and author of Safe Kids Safe Families (HarperCollins) and numerous child safety programs delivered to schools and communities across Canada.

Visit at: www.kidproofcanada.com, and www.kidproofusa.com


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Internet Addiction

Here are some tips you may consider:
  • Do not ban Internet use entirely. Instead, set clear, reasonable rules around the time and type of use permitted, and stick to them!
  • Look into software that may limit their use online.
  • Keep the computer in a public area of the house so you will be able to judge how much time is spent online.

There are warning signs that may point to the fact that your child is heading towards danger of online addiction. If you feel that these best describe your child, it will be time to reassess the entire family's online habits and alter them to support your decision to limit online time.

Some possible symptoms of Internet addiction:
  • Physical pain such as headaches, sore eyes, carpal tunnel syndrome and backache
  • Loss of sleep
  • Is obviously happier when online
  • Slipping grades at school
  • Loss of interest in friends and family activities
  • Drawn to the computer at all times of the day

If you feel that your child is beyond instilling rules and discussing the problems of overuse, you may need to seek the help of a professional that deals with addiction. Although Internet addiction is still a relatively new term, investigate your options in your community with agencies that deal with child addictions. It could be that your child’s potential Internet addiction is stemming from another psychological issue.

Finally, talk to your kids about your concerns. The best way to keep your kids safe is to keep the lines of communication open, even in this new world of attention grabbing technology.

©2005 Samantha Wilson

For more safety information see Samantha's books  "Safe Kids Safe Families" and "The Babysitter's Handbook"

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