Internet Usage and Family Relationship

Does your family relationship benefit or hurt from internet usage?

Computers and the internet at home are both bane and boon, using the trite expression. The internet provide us information with convenience and enable us connected to our family members or friends anywhere anytime. However, the internet usage also brings some trouble and problems to the family relationship and communication. Technology can be a double edged sword. Your use or misuse determines it.

A new poll shows 60 percent of adults said that the Internet did not affect the closeness of their family, while 25 percent said online communication made their families closer, and 11 percent said that the technology had a negative effect. Many youth say that the Internet can communicate with other people or can transmit the important information especially instant messaging, has become an essential feature of their social lives. This is a good way for sensitive teenager to communicate.

Do you know what your kids are doing online? And how often?

How many hours a month do you think your children spend online? How many hours do they really spend? Do kids include you among their online “friends”? Does the Internet improve your love life or family relationships?

• Kids in the U.S. say they spend 42 hours a month online. Their parents think they spend only 18.

• Over 70% of teens go online at least once per week.

• Nearly 85% spend at least one hour on the Internet on a weekly basis.

• U.S. kids have an average of 83 online “friends.” That’s more than in any of the other 11 countries surveyed. One in four U.S. kids include their parents on their friends lists.

• 33% use e-mail, instant messages and chat rooms as the main ways they keep in contact with their friends.

Is the Internet cutting into family time?

These days, most of children and teens use the internet during their part time. Since the invention and popularity of the internet, our lives have been changed forever. However, the internet usage has a large impact on family and society. Most of the changes have been for the best, but there are some bad effects as well. Due to the large time the kids spending on the internet, it seems that the family time is cut down by the internet usage and the family communication is influenced to some extent. As children and teens spend long time online and they are lacking self-control, they would tend to be addicted to the internet. Things are running smoothly reducing the conversation with family. As the children always stay online, the family member spend less time together thus the face-to-face family communication is ignored.

In other words the intensive use of modern devices such as cell phones and computers with Internet access has made face-to-face communication less necessary. The internet usage causes the lack of communication in family relationship.

Another reason is bringing about more serious problem that is the internet addiction. The internet addict also same as online game addict, their lives become centered around cyberspace. Whether they are surfing the net, sending emails or participating in live chat, they lose track of the time and forget all about their earthly responsibilities. They become lost in cyberspace.

What should the parents do?

If you're concerned about your children being addicted to the internet and the family relationship broken down, here are some guidelines for parents of net-active children:

• Limit time online.

• Conduct your kid to do some educational activities online instead of video game, instant message, etc.

• Install software that blocks access to adult sites.

• Know what your child is doing when surfing the net. Keep your computer in a family area and take an interest in what they're doing.

• Watch for signs in your child's behavior; do they have mood swings associated with computer activity? Do they find endless excuses for being online?

• Consult your child's school counsellor for further assistance.

About SurveilStar Parental Control Software:

Parental Control Software that attempts to monitor computer activity has seen some popularity with parents concerned about Internet Addiction of kids.

In order to improve the family relationship and make children use the internet properly, installing the parental control software is essential for every parent.

SurveilStar Any Parental Control software is a versatile and easy-to-use computer controlling program that can help take real-time screen snapshot of children’s online behaviors, track the email sent and received, block unwanted websites, filter out sexual images and pornographic websites, monitor children’s online activity, limit the amount of time your child spends online and much more. With the assistant of SurveilStar parental control, your child would use the internet in a more proper and healthy way. You need not to worry about the negative impacts of the abuse internet usage. To construct a harmony family relationship, SurveilStar Any Parental Control would help you a lot.