Today's parents have plenty of new things to worry about -- concerns not even on the parental radar screen of the previous generation. Among them is the potential harm of children falling prey to Internet use and abuse.

There are steps that parents can take to reduce the chances that their child will fall prey.

1. Pay attention to your child's mood. If your child is discouraged, disappointed, dejected or disgruntled, don't assume that his unhappiness is only a brief, temporary state of mind which will pass by itself. If your child is chronically unhappy, you must attempt to uncover the origin of his discontent. If, however, you ignore his sadness, he may turn to his computer for comfort and/or escape, which will render him extremely vulnerable to falling prey to an internet addiction.

2. Cancel your home internet connection. (Yes, it really is possible to live without it.) Even without an internet connection, computers can be used for word processing, computer games, compiling and storing lists for shopping, simcha invitations or family finances etc. Today you can also get internet connection accessible only for email usage. Canceling your internet access will not render your computer obsolete or your child out of touch.

3. If you must have an internet connection at home, installing strong filters, website blockers, monitoring systems and security measures are a MUST.

4. Insist that the computer be kept in a central location at home. Keeping the computer in a more public space can deter your child from using it to join an on-line poker game or to view pornography.

If your child is already addicted, do not despair. It is still possible to change the situation -- but rational arguments, I'm afraid, will be completely useless in this battle. Reasoning with an internet addict is like trying to extinguish a house fire with a squirt gun.

Assessing if your child has Internet Addiction
According to some experts, five of the following criteria must be met within one year for someone to qualify as having an internet addiction issue.

-Preoccupation or obsession with Internet apps.
-Withdrawal symptoms when not using Internet apps (anxiety, anger, lack of focus).
-A build-up of tolerance–more and more time needs to be spent using the apps.
-The child has tried to stop or curb playing Internet games or using the apps, but has failed to do so.
The child has had a loss of interest in other life activities, such as hobbies.
-A child has had continued overuse of Internet games even with the knowledge of how much they impact their life.
-The child lied to others about his or her Internet usage.
-The child uses Internet activity to relieve anxiety or guilt–it’s a way to escape.
-The child has lost or put at risk an opportunity or relationship because of Internet activity.

Does your child fit these criteria? The second one in the list, “Withdrawal symptoms,” is one that is often used when parents ask , “how much screen time is too much?” The response is, “if you take it away, and it creates an emotional response, then however much time they currently spend on devices is too much. Removal of digital screens should not create an emotional response. Or, that’s a problem.”

Here is some more info how to help a child that has internet addiction...