Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Protecting Kids From the Internet

Do you ever wish you could “un-see” something? Maybe you’ve driven by a violent car accident and glanced over, catching a horrid vision that you now can’t get rid of. Sometimes you see it in your sleep, sometimes when you are awake. It has affected you.

We protect our kids from violent and racy movies when they are young for a reason: we know those visions will stick with them and sometimes even give them nightmares. (who wants to be up in the middle of the night soothing a freaked-out kid?!) So why do we think that letting our kids have unlimited access to the Internet, via personal computer, laptop, iPad, tablet or phones, is a good idea?

You might know that my husband finally agreed to let us get Internet access in our home. Of course, we are worried about things our kids might see when they are on normal sights like YouTube or when they do a Google image search of something as innocent as, say, “cats.” My laptop is the only computer with Internet access, and it has my own password on it. My kids have to ask to use it, and I try to only agree when I will be around them to check in.

But, having 5 kids and homeschooling, I often get busy and am taken to other parts of the house (to wipe butts or take my hourly bubble bath … ha!). I want to know that my young kids are not seeing violent images or naked ladies in precarious positions while I step away.

That’s where eHomeShield comes in. It’s a new Internet monitoring product that I personally know is HALF the cost of some other software out there. It analyzes content, blocks potentially naughty sites and is only a few bucks a month. (but of course if you deem something blocked as fine, you just type in your own little password and BAM, you are good to go, for that site anyway). And for you non-techies like me, it’s easy to set up AND it covers all devices with Internet in your home.

Check them out here at their helpful website for even more great reasons to get this product for your own home. They are now raising money in a campaign on a Crowdfunding site called Indiegogo, and they would appreciate your support there to help get their product out and to get the word out about what they offer.