Issues About Growing Up Online

Every generation has its set of "problems" that parents have to deal with. These vary from generation to generation, but the rise of the internet, and the kids raised in it, have created one of the biggest generation gap.

One of the biggest concerns for parents is the security of their children, which is why most parents want to know, much to their kids dismay, the activities they engage in, the people they associate with, among others. While this is nothing new, for most parents the Internet is. Most parents aren't Internet-savvy, which is something kids take advantage of in order to hide their activities from parents. In the Internet, kids can interact with all their friends, plan activities and the like, without their parents' supervision. Since there is no regulation, parents fear what their kids can do. Some parents also fear that this drives a wedge between them and their kids, since most spend most of their time in the Internet.

This leads to another problem, in which kids can behave in one way in front of their parents, while another way in the Internet; they're essentially living a double life. This is helped by the animosity that the Internet gives us. In it we can express how we really are, but not necessarily who we are. Some have taken advantage of this to engage in cyber-bullying, which have, sadly, claimed the life of some of its victims.

One of the biggest concerns for parents, though, is the presence of predators. With the rise of social network sites, predators have an easier time to get to know their victims better. That being said, most kids are smart enough to spot danger and how to avoid these people. Of course this doesn't prevent their parents to worry since the media is quick to point out the few instances where these predators succeed in catching their prey.

All said and done, the fact is that the Internet is here to stay, and the best way for parents to protect their kids is not to shield them from it, but to educate themselves in how to use it, since it can be a powerful tool, as demonstrated by their own kids.