School is almost out and kids have more free time.

Perhaps this means they will be spending more time on the computer. FamilyPC's 2000 survey found that families are spending more time online overall - 14 hours per week, up from ten hours per week last year, and as a result kids are spending less time watching TV.

The Internet is a powerful tool that can provide a lot of information and learning experiences, but like any powerful tool, used unwisely, it can be very dangerous. You teach your children to not talk to strangers and how to cross the street safely, but have you taught them about online safety? There are two ways that good kids who are not doing anything wrong get into trouble online. They either accidentally see something they shouldn't while surfing the Web, or they are go into a chat room.

Predators sometimes pose as children to befriend a child in chat rooms. The simplest way to avoid this problem is not to let your children chat online. After all, you don't let them talk to strangers in the park, so they can be banned from talking to strangers online, right? Unfortunately, the simplest solution is not always the best solution.

Safety must be discussed before you allow your kids to go to a chat room! If they are already chatting, daily safety reminders are in order. Here are the rules your kids should know before safe chatting:

1. Children (and adults) must never reveal their real name, address or phone number.

Make sure they use a nickname when they chat online. Other chatters will ask where they live. Tell them to just say Bermuda. If someone else is from Bermuda, they will ask them which parish they live in. Talk about this ahead of time. They could reply: "I am from the one of the central parishes." If someone persists in asking the exact location, tell your children it is all right to say, "My mom does not want to me to tell."

2. Make it clear children must never meet anyone they talk to online. For safety's sake, children should not meet anyone they talk to online unless a parent arranges the meeting and accompanies the child when they meet the online friend.

3. Explain that not everyone online is actually who they say they are.

Remind your child that anyone can say they are 12 and from Los Angeles because it is very easy to make things up in a chat room. Unfortunately, children are gullible and will believe just about anything.

4. Will you only allow your child to enter monitored chat rooms?

This will not ensure complete safety, but it does afford some protection. A monitor has no way of knowing if the person that says he is 12 actually is. In some monitored chat rooms, the monitor cannot monitor private chats. Graffiti Wall (www.kidscom.com) offers two different chat rooms, one for under age 11 and one for age 12 and older. You must register before chatting.

5. Do not ever allow your child to go into a private chat room with an online friend if you are not in the room.

The best monitor is you, sitting with your child at the computer and watching everything that they are saying! At the minimum, it is a good idea to check on the conversation often.

6. Should you allow your child to give out their email address to their chat buddies?

If you do allow this, follow these guidelines: A. Get them their own free email address at Hotmail or Yahoo.

B. Only allow them to give out their email address in private chat. Do not allow them to post it publicly.

C. Monitor their mail! It is for their own protection. If you start to become suspicious of someone, change the child's email address.

Let your children know that you want them to be safe. Make a big deal about it! Setting rules, clearly listing them, then following the rules, will make an impression with your children that safety is important.

Make an agreement or a contract for the right to use the computer. Clearly defined rules, limits and consequences allow children to make informed decisions. A family contract almost completely eliminates ambiguity and confusion concerning expectations.

You can download a family contract about how parents and children will use the Internet from: www.safekids.com/contract.htm And just as too much TV is not good for anyone, especially children, neither is too much time online.

Next week: Keeping children safe while surfing on the Internet.

Michelle Swartz's column on the Internet appears in The Royal Gazette's Personal Technology section. She can be reached at michellechristers.net