by Alison Storm | 11/17/11

A surprisingly high number of children are taking liberties with their parents' credit cards and using them to shop online. That's according to a recent edition of the Norton Online Family Report.  The report found that 77 percent of parents have rules about Internet use. Parents are setting ground rules when it comes to the web, but some kids are still being sneaky when it involves online shopping. "Kids are developing their online identity at an earlier age than ever before," said Vanessa Van Petten, youthologist and author of "Radical Parenting," "and they need parents, teachers and other role models to help them figure out where to go, what to say, how to act and perhaps most importantly, how not to act. Negative situations online can have repercussions in the real world—from bullying to money lost in scams to giving strangers personal information."

As Cyber Monday approaches it's important to communicate with your children about online shopping. Twenty-three percent of parents who let their kids use their debt or credit card for online shopping say their kids have overspent. Nearly one-third say their child has used their credit card or debt card to shop online without their permission. More than half of parents who let their child shop online using their online store account reported that their child has used it without permission.

While saving money is an important reason to set online guidelines, it's also a good idea for keeping your kids safe from cybercrimes. "Parents and teachers play an enormous role in keeping kids—and themselves—safe online, and this year's Norton Online Family Report shows a real need for further education," said Marian Merritt, Norton Internet Safety Advocate in a news release. "While 63 percent of parents say they talk to their kids about online safety, one-third still secretly check their children's online use and a quarter look at their social network use behind their backs. Having an open dialogue with kids in a safe environment like at home or school can be much more effective, along with arming children with the tools they need to stay safe."