How, exactly, are we supposed to do that?

It would be so much easier to just turn a blind eye.

Parenthood ain't about easy, though.

I had so many comments on this issue, I decided to delve a little deeper.

As you might have guessed, there are serious repercussions to ignoring this issue.

"We're seeing it - kids not getting into colleges they wanted to get into," said Cary High School guidance counselor Angela Jankowsky. "Kids not getting jobs they want based on things they've done online. Kids who are victims of cyber-bullying taking their lives or having long-term mental health issues. Monitoring is necessary; it's not even an option."

But some of the parents Jankowsky talks to don't want to micro-manage their kids.

"It's a fine line and a balance," she said. "Regardless of the age - 8 or 18 - they don't know the boundaries."

Below, tips for all ages and a few "absolutes" that just might surprise you.

There is no privacy when it comes to the Internet.

Ever.

Katie Koestner, founder and executive director of Campus Outreach Services, offers some cautionary words.

Her group is a national organization that provides programs and resources to help students make safe and healthy decisions.

"There is a point at which your child needs to have a sense of privacy," she said. "The way to teach that is not with technology. There's no such thing as privacy online anywhere or anytime. None."

Jankowsky said parents may have to get mean about this because kids are really going to push for you to leave their Internet correspondence alone.

"It's going to take parents putting their foot down," she said. "Kids will still find loopholes, but if they're not allowing you access, that's obviously a huge red flag."

There's no privacy in the real world concerning the Internet (which kids often don't understand) so why should they have privacy from you?

If your kids don't want a phone plan where you can check their text messages, no phone.

Won't let you be a Facebook friend?

No Facebook.

Transparency is key.

At the same time, be cautious not to flip out over normal kid stuff, such as your child posting, "I had an awful day!" or "This project stinks!"

Intervene if you see bullying, name-calling or inappropriate pictures.

Choose your battles carefully.

You are in charge of the Send and Enter button.

"Once those two buttons are pressed by a child, the parent is legally responsible for whatever damage may befall anyone who's harmed by transmitting data, whether intentional or unintentional, out to the Worldwide Web by their child," said Koestner.

Jankowsky agreed. "If it's ever referred to me, I get the parents involved. It's got to come from them," she said, adding parents can be responsible even if the message was forwarded from another child.

Keep talking.

If you see something that bothers you, whether it's a text, email or Facebook post, ask your child about it.

"If they don't want to talk, text them," said Jankowsky. "Interact and engage with them. Any kind of communication to open the door for them to open up back to you. That's really what we want ultimately; we want to have that trusting relationship even if we're not happy with the choices they're making."

Do what you say you're going to do.

Parents must remind kids to take constant responsibility and ownership of everything they do online.

Follow up. Hold the child accountable, said Jankowsky.

"If the parent says, 'Don't talk to strangers online,' and then never bothers to check to make sure the child has followed instructions, there will be a bad lesson learned."

Be brave.

"You have to hit this technology issue the same way you would any other controversial issue whether it's alcohol consumption by minors or sex," said Koestner.

And someday, hopefully, your kids will thank you for all this monitoring. Perpetuity is no place for the dumb mistakes of young adulthood.