Talk with your child to evaluate his or her readiness for the responsibilities of working on-line. There are no age restrictions or guidelines for general Web use, so decide if your child is ready or not. Remember to explain to your children that going on-line is a privilege, not a right. Emphasize that appropriate behavior must be maintained when using the Web, or the privilege to do so will be taken away.
Choose an appropriate email address. If the family e-mail address is composed of family member initials, consider setting up your child's e-mail address using the same address. However, to create a new account, distinguish the address with an additional number or symbol. For example, maintain "mjkelajo", but add "123" to make "mjkelajo123". Avoid inappropriate e-mail by staying away from such names as, "daddysgirl," "superBobby,"or "angelprincess".
Install the address on your family computer. If your child is not ready to navigate the Web unsupervised, create an atmosphere in which the use of the family computer is subject to frequent visibility by other family members. As an added precaution, do not disclose to the child the password set up to unlock the computer or e-mail account.
Keep rules and limits simple, clear, and consistent: if online access is for homework only, then monitor usage to ensure the rule is being followed.