Educate, Don't Shelter

Completely sheltering kids from the internet does not protect them. The internet is increasingly integrated into daily life, so if a child doesn't use the internet at home, they’ll surely encounter it elsewhere. Wouldn't you rather control how your child is introduced to it? I've lived in Utah Valley my entire life, so there are certain things I haven’t been exposed to very often. Sometimes when I visit other places and I encounter things I’m not used to, I don’t know how to handle them. It's not necessarily anyone’s fault that I'm not prepared for those situations; I just don't expect them. The internet is the same on one end of the country as the other, so parents not only have the ability but also the obligation to educate their kids. Of course, internet rules and filters should be used, but kids should ideally experience the internet in their own homes to be prepared.