While there are millions of kid’s sites on the internet that are appropriate for playing games, researching school projects and finding out about the world, the very ‘openness’ of the internet means that much of the material is unregulated, so remember:

TV Advertising and kids:

There’s no nice way to say it - advertising influences children and advertisers spend big dollars buying your child’s attention. They also understand that pester power will get many parents to buy things they have no desire to purchase. Children are particularly vulnerable to food advertising, which, more than toys and games, they view as something that you may be likely to buy them.

The internet is a global network of computers connected by satellite and cable. Australians are the third highest internet users in the world – coming in behind only USA and Sweden. One third of all Australian homes now have internet access.

There are times when watching TV is all you want – at the end of a long hectic day, or when you’re physically and mentally exhausted. But there’s a reason television is called the ‘idiot box’; for many kids, the number of hours spent watching TV is starting to out-number the hours they spend being actively involved in other pursuits, which is in turn leading to weight gain and associated health risks.

Getting a pet for the family can seem like such a wonderful idea – before you actually do it. But if you haven’t really thought through all the aspects of pet ownership, you can end up feeling that your pet is as much work as your kids!

Filters, safe zones and labels are the most common ways you can control and monitor the material your child accesses on the internet.

How can I teach my child to be net-savvy?

• Be confident with the internet – you should be comfortable enough with the technology that you can keep track of what your child is doing on the computer.

In some households, mum or dad do all the cooking while the kids look on. In others, the kids are helping to prepare meals from an age when the most they can do is ‘help’ stir a cake batter. Sharing your kitchen with your child encourages an interest in cooking and food, and is the best way to encourage lifelong healthy eating habits.

Screen-based media (which includes TV, playstations, nintendos and computers) can suck hours out of your kid’s day without them – or you - even noticing; time they should be doing something more active or, at the very least, more stimulating. A good mix of indoor and outdoor pursuits, passive activities and physical exercise every day is recommended.