The internet has become a nearly indispensable utility in the vast majority of homes across the United States and in many countries around the world. However, there are some good reasons why parents should monitor their child’s internet use.

Of course, there are always concerns about children accessing explicit content, containing violence, drug use, adult scenes and coarse language. However, in some cases, news articles can contain information that can be an even worse influence.

Media coverage of the 2015 Paris terrorist attack recently came under harsh criticism by Donald Trump. The U.S. Presidential candidate and business tycoon worth more than US$10 billion, warned some children who see headlines stating the “mastermind is on the loose” may feel inspired to join a radical group.

“We have kids watching this on the internet and they want to be masterminds, and then we wonder why we lose all those kids who go over there [to the Middle East]. They are young, they are impressionable and then they want to go off and join ISIS,” he told the Pearl Harbor Day Rally in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (Click here to watch the video).

“And then we have got our anchors … they say the young mastermind – oh he is a brilliant young man … I don’t even think he has got a high IQ, I call him embarrassed; I call him the guy with the big, filthy hat. He is not a smart guy, he is a dummy. He puts people in there and bing, bing, bing he starts shooting everyone.”

Trump blames the media for not exercising discretion in reporting the news.

“The press, they need to be responsible. They are not being responsible because we are losing a lot of people, because of the internet – and we have to do something. We have to go see [Microsoft founder] Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what is happening. We have to talk to them,” he says.

He suggests it may be necessary to place limits on internet use.

“Maybe in some areas, [we need to be] closing the internet in some way. Somebody will say: Freedom of speech, freedom of speech – these are foolish people. We have a lot of foolish people,” he says.

“We have got to do something about the internet because they [ISIS] are recruiting people by the thousands. They are leaving the country and then, when they come back, we take them back …when they leave our country and they go to fight for ISIS or any of these groups, they [should] never come back. They can never, ever, ever come back.”

Parents should be more alert than ever about their child’s internet use. It is important to remember children are still in their developmental stages in life, and every good and bad influence they come across will count in the long-run.

Family manners, discipline and virtue could be the answer

In ancient China, people placed great emphasis on family manners and the cultivation of discipline and virtue. Following the principles of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and credit, the basic values in ancient Chinese culture, ancient Chinese people cherished the philosophy of cultivation of virtue and moral behavior in their parenting ways, and regarded it as the dogma of family discipline.

Ancient saints and sages showed great compassion and care for their children, but they were very strict with their children too. In this way, they educated their children to follow good advice from others and thus lead a righteous life without regret. The ancient Chinese parenting method is of great value to us today.

You can read some examples by clicking here.