Your child is spending more and more time on the Internet these days. Instead of playing football with his friends, he prefers to stay inside on his computer. A few times when you have gone into his room to check on him, he has abruptly switched screens, like he didn't want you to see what he was doing. You have noticed that he sometimes stays up late at night, typing way past his bedtime. You have trouble waking him up and getting him off to school in the morning, and you're afraid his schoolwork is beginning to suffer as a result. What should you do?

Don't go as far as to throw out the computer or forbid your child to use it. He will find other ways, either at a friend's house or at school.

Communication is the first step in finding out what is going on with your child. Talk to him; let him know that you are interested in his life and the activities that he pursues.

If your child refuses to open up, he probably sees you as an obstacle instead of a friend. Teenagers have a strong sense of personal privacy and believe that there are certain things that their parents should not know.

However, too many hours of unsupervised time on the Internet may be placing your child at risk. Too much time spent talking to older adults in chat rooms cannot be good for your child.

You have to remember that the Internet is a wonderful source of information, and more than likely, your child is not doing anything wrong. By monitoring his Internet and email communication, you can relieve any concerns that you have.