After arriving home from school most week days, 12-year-old Jackson Engstrom logs on to the family computer. Like many teens, he uses the computer as communication device. He favors MSN Instant Messenger to communicate online with friends.
The computer is set up in the family room, for easy access by all members of the Engstrom family and so Jackson’s parent’s can easily monitor the sites their son is visiting. That’s the example South Whidbey school officials would like to see set in every home.
Parents are encouraged to attend an Internet Safety Program put on by Langley Middle School on Tuesday so they can share tips on keeping Internet use safe for their children. Lana Weinmann, assistant attorney general for the state in partnership with the Washington Association of Sheriff’s and Police Chiefs, will lead a one-hour presentation.
Another Langley Middle School student, Ryan Zalewski shares his family’s computer with his parents and a sister. Ryan enjoys playing computer games and e-mailing friends. His parents don’t allow him to participate in live chat rooms.
“My parents limit the amount of time I can play games on the computer depending on how much homework I have,” Zalewski said.
“My dad works at Microsoft and has installed a program that blocks us from some sites and will track the sites I visit,” Ryan Zalewski said.
Both the Engstroms and Zawleskis have instituted some measures to protect their children from receiving unwanted communication and visiting inappropriate sties.
“We have huge concerns about the Internet,” said Jackson’s mother, Jill. “There is so much information out and many sites are inappropriate for teens.”
The Engstroms also prohibit Jackson from Internet access when they aren’t home and he is not allowed to order anything of the net or use any personal information like his name and address.
While these measures are helpful, Tuesday’s program will help parents understand online activities that are popular with their kids and to learn more steps to protect children from being contacted by a stranger or from leaving personal information online that predators can exploit.
“The anonymity concerns me,” Jill Engstrom said. “Sometimes during the day, when I know his friends are all at school, I have logged on and had an instant message addressed to my son.”
According to the Island County Sheriff’s Office, complaints about juveniles receiving harassing and unwanted e-mail contacts are on the increase.
“Harassing e-mails can be sent friend to friend or stranger to stranger,” said Jam Smith, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
Parents can get an anti-harassment order on behalf of their children if they are receiving unwanted e-mails, Smith said.
