It’s a tragic story about Megan Meier, the 13 year old who killed herself because she fell in love with a boy she met on MySpace.com, who then turned against her. It turns out; it wasn’t a boy after all, but the mother of a neighborhood teen who created the “Josh” persona to find out if Megan was spreading rumors about her daughter.

This story of cyber bullying is a true tragedy and one that is not isolated. With more children having access to the internet in more social forms, cyber bullying is not going to disappear anytime soon, even with MySpace and 49 U.S. state attorneys generals agreeing on a plan to protect minors using the popular social networking site.

There are things you can do as a parent to become more media savvy with the purpose of helping to prepare and protect your child in the digital age. Here are seven steps to get you started:

1. Visit online social networking sites. You need to experience a social networking site for yourself, so you can see what the attraction is for so many people, young and old. If you have young kids, check out Club Penguin For your older kids, visit Facebook or MySpace. Ask them to show you their pages and the pages of their best friends.

2. Play a video game with your son or daughter. Find a video game that you can enjoy or show enthusiasm about. Maybe it is a sports or puzzle game. Stay away from any games with violence and have a great time with your child.

3. Visit Itunes or Amazonmp3.com and download some songs together – Take turns picking songs to share with each other. Have fun and be sure to discuss why you chose the songs and if they have special meaning.

4. Check out YouTube. Visit the comedy section on YouTube and pick some funny videos to watch together. You will discover it is much more practical to grab a few minutes watching YouTube videos together rather than trying to carve out two hours to watch a DVD.

5. Get a DVR. If you don’t already have a DVR, you need one. Seriously, it shouldn’t be a luxury, but a necessity to have on one TV in your home. Why? DVR’s give you control of the TV. You can record what you want to watch, limit what your kids are watching and watch TV on your time, not just prime time.

6. Manage your child’s screen time: Children are more attracted to being in front of the screen than ever. There is an urge to always be connected. This connection is a reality in their lives, but it must be balanced. Kids also need to appreciate activities and the life that exists away from the PC, TV, Ipod, Cell Phone and PSP screens.

7. Discover how to keep your child safe on line. Attend the Better Parenting University online seminar for parents that has quickly become our most popular online class - Kid and the Internet: How You Can Keep Your Child Safe. This instructor led seminar contains the information you need to help your child be Internet and technology safe.