An Internet Safety Lesson Close to Home

I spend a lot of time in this space advising parents to talk to their kids about staying safe online. I had to practice what I preach the other day (once again) when my 10-year-old did something I didn't think she would do: email someone she doesn't know.

She loves dogs, and has been asking for a puppy for some time now. (I'm working my way up to that added responsibility.) But every now and then she checks out sites such as Petfinder, a terrific site for linking dogs in need of owners with pet lovers. She changed her email address recently and as she was sending out her new address to her list of contacts I noticed one I didn't recognize.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"She's a beagle breeder I've been emailing," she said.

So we had a talk that I know I have had many times before with her about not emailing people she doesn't know in person on the Internet and to never, never give out personal information about herself or her family. She had been emailing her to ask questions about beagles and told her she wanted to get a dog but isn't getting one just yet.

She sent out one more email to her saying her mom said she can't email her about dogs anymore, and got this wonderful response:

That's the best kind of response a parent could hope for to help a child who needs help learning her way around the world wide web. But it made me realize we can't talk to our kids enough about safe practices on the Internet, even if we think we've said enough.