Life & StyleFeatureThe case of a foreign pedophile who was operating from ourcountry not so long ago is just one such example of dangersin the internet.There are many more ways things can go horribly wrong,such as via intentional or unintentional exposure to explicitmaterial. The Internet doesn’t have a secure connectionto stop porn viewing, therefore even kids / teens whounintentionally log online for other purposes, might comeacross these accidentally. Parents may not like to know thisbut, in most cases, kids develop an interest to go back tosuch portals out of sheer curiosity, exposing themselves to thewrong messages sent out there about sexual behaviours. Thefact that they may be derived to become sexually active at anearly age, or end up disrespecting the idea of commitmentin the future, are just the beginning of their problems if theyhave a twisted idea of sexual behaviors.Know what’ going onStudies have shown that children who have computers intheir rooms, did academically well seeing that the Internetserved as a way to keep them interested in assignments,projects and homework. The two main factors to beconcerned here are:1. Distraction from friends via social media chatting whileusing the PC2. The temptation to divert one’s attention to Youtube,Facebook, Twitter or worse, forbidden websites!Close parental monitoring is the secret key here. While noparent wants to appear like they’re micro - managing their kid,parents do still need to be fully alert to the goings on at thestudy table and conduct impromptu checks besides buildingand keeping good communication going with their children.Social networking sites give teens aplatform to interact with friendsand connect with others in arisk-free setting, although thatshouldn’t allow Internet time tobe so flexible. Screen your kids’online friends like you wouldtheir real-life ones. You may alsohave to advise them on the kindof company they keep, onlineand offline. Kids these days tendto be far too advanced on their sexualdevelopment, and most of the time, mediainfluences (and influencers) are to blame. Being physically andemotionally close to your growing child will help you keeptabs of who they’re interested in and if they’re becoming tooobsessed with anyone. There are always ways to handle this,and if you’re close to your child, it becomes an easier task.Television too can be an educational tool if used wisely andwhen supervised by parents. Educational shows are constantlystreaming on the television, where kids and young adults canlearn a lot from them. Choose documentaries and shows thatfeature something the whole family can relate to, like food,for instance.Print media is a good way of being well-informed about whatgoes on around the world, where it can develop a teen’sreading skills as well, seeing that it is a dying habit amongthe young. Visit book sales as a family and have your childrendiscuss what they’re currently reading during a dinner-timebanter. Keeping things lively in the family will help deter yourkids from seeking outside distractions for entertainment.Children need to be constantly nurtured mentally andspiritually to be kept on the right track. If parents do not wishto see their kids becoming obsessed with an idea or mentallydeteriorate, then it is important that they maintain goodrelationship and communication with their growing kids andkeep tabs on their goings on and checking their behaviorswhen needed.46 BabyTalk | December 2019
Life & StyleFeatureIntimate care:What every momshould knowWe care very much for skin, hair, teeth, eyes, etc, but what about ourprivate region? Believe it or not, without proper care, a woman’s vagina maybe a cause for health concern!BabyTalk | December 2019 47
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