Why do parents use computers and TV as a babysitter?

Question

Then get bent out of shape when someone posts something inappropriate? Do parents not believe that it is their own fault? How do you justifie in your mind that you are exposing your kids to nasty things? Why do you blame society and want the FCC to fix everything when you are capable of turning off the tv and computer? If a child is left on the computer alone and accidentally goes to a porn site should the parent be charged with neglect and child abuse?

Answer 1

They are a bunch of idiots that shouldn't be having children. They think it's their right and children are only an extension of themselves. They either get past the "it's so cute and cuddly" stage or it's just their insurance that the welfare check is going to be coming in. They don't give a rats as* about them. Yes they should go to jail just like any other abusive parent or pedophile.

Answer 2

I think its because people are so busy with everything thats going on that they dont think about the negative effects that the computer or tv have on their children....some people know that it is not good but have the "it cant happen to me" so they dont think that there kid could be talking to someone on the computer that could hurt them. I understand why parents want the FCC to fix somethings because in my mind there is bad things in cartoons these days...even rugrats is more adult then when I use to watch it as a child. I think that if we want things to change as parents then we do need to change them ourselves by instead of throwing them in front of a tv but by spending time with them Or atleast watch the show with them. I also think parents should limit the time there child is on the tv or computer. Im not yet a parent...will be anytime now (9 months pregant) and me and the father are not together but we have already agreed no matter what there will not be a tv or computer in there rooms. We also will be limiting the amount of time at the tv and computer. I dont think that a parent should be charged with neglect and child abuse becasue a porn site accidentally comes up.....I mean that to me seems overboard....as much as we would like you cant watch your child every second of the day any parent knows that. I believe that we need to spend more time with our children and less time on the phone or thrown into our jobs. Are children need parents involved in the lives not just around when its good for the parents.

Answer 3

generally, if i had a kid, i would not trust anyone under age 16 to watch him/her. a babysitter's job is to watch the kid and take care of them, plus anything else they are asked to do by the kid's parents. She doesnt need to be using YOUR computer (without your permission, i presume?) instead of watching the kid. 14 year olds nowadays are much more likely to fool around then they used to be.....you are not being unreasonable at all in thinking that she wasnt doing her job right. I understand her leaving dishes in the sink only if you did not specifically ask her to clean them....but she certainly should have cleaned the ones she used. have a talk with her about what is and is not required of her when babysitting him; she isnt being payed to use the computer anyway, is she? you can also consider hidden cameras in the house as many parents do, so you know what exactly she is allowing your grandson to do while she is online. She honestly doesnt sound responsible enough to babysit a kid! just my opinion though.

Answer 4

I agree with you that parents should understand that it's their responsibility to protect their children, and act as a filter from today's sources of information. I also believe that they should be realistic about what is out there - and what their children could be exposed to - then take it upon themselves to talk with their children (in a manner that is appropriate for their age) if their children are exposed to something.

It's important to remember that TV and computers aren't all bad. Your child can learn a lot from using these resources....parents just have to take the time, and pay attention to what their child is doing.

The people who want the government to do this for them....are the same people who are too lazy to spend time with their children. This is where the damage comes from. They think they can hide the world and reality from their children and expect them to grow up and magically know how to face situations.

I look at it like this....there are things on TV that I would rather my child not see...but I'm a realist, and I know that she will be exposed to them at one time or another. Instead of freaking out about it....I'll take it as an opportunity to talk with my child about what she saw, and turn it into a learning experience.

Answer 5

Parents nowadays don't want to keep up with their children so they stick them in front of the tv or computer and go on with their own business. Parents are more responsible in the matter of what their children see. It seems they don't want to take responsibility when their children come across a mature site.

Answer 6

I think that if people didn't want to watch their children and be responsible that they should be sent to jail for neglect if the child see's something harmful. I think that people want society to raise their children through TV and the media but they want to change everybody so that we only show moral fuzzy stuff on television. People are actually trying to get Hollywood stars to stop smoking in the movies!!! Can you believe that? Why doesn't the parent tell them the health risks? This is why people should have a license to have children!

Answer 7

Basically because they are lazy and don't want to have to take their kids anywhere, or read them a book, or let their imaginations take over while they play...but mostly because they don't want to be bothered with the kids so they can do something that they want to do. It's just easier than to have to be involved with them or hear them whine "IM BORED MOM". Simply put, it's an easy way out. Shame huh?

Answer 8

I get bent out of shape for the same thing. There is a huge contingent out there who want the government to parent for them because they are too busy or too lazy to do it themselves.

My son has come across some questionable things on TV when I'm in the same room with him... I don't yell, scream or petition Congress to ban anything. I talk to him. We discuss why something isn't good to watch. He usually immediately asks, "Then why do they make that show?" I tell him because there are people who want to see it, for whatever reason, and maybe when you're older, you can see it too, but for now, I'd rather you watch something else.

Did you know that the American Family Association encourages its membership (and non-members for that matter) to complain about programs that have gay or violent or adult content? They will record programs, isolate clips and send them via email to the membership (people who don't watch those particular shows anyway) and encourage them to watch the clip and contact the FCC and/or the TV stations and networks to complain. Here is what their website says:

"When a citizen watches a television program, he or she should reasonably expect the content of that broadcast to be free of indecent or profane language. When the station breaks the public trust by broadcasting content which the viewer feels violates community standards, the citizen can file a complaint against the station with the FCC. In turn, the FCC will begin a formal investigation to determine if the station is subject to fines or license termination."

They don't just go after the station (local affiliates as well as networks), but after the advertisers as well, so the advertisers will pull their ads and the networks will have to either sanitize the shows or pull them. The AFA went after Will and Grace when they showed a same-sex kiss in 2003... the AFA failed to remove Will and Grace from the airwaves at that time. In February 2006, it backfired on them when they included a sex scene clipped from "Las Vegas" in the email to members and they received numerous complaints from members for including the sex clip in an email. LOL!

This is the same organization that wanted ABC to pull "Saving Private Ryan" (unedited) from broadcast because of the violent war scenes. If you ask me, no parent should allow their child to see that unless they feel they are emotionally ready for it and only if they plan to discuss the effects of war afterwards. The war scene at the beginning is jaw-droppingly violent and explicit. But I do not agree with pulling it completely. If you think it's too violent, turn off the TV. TV is for everyone to watch, not just the repressed Christian masses who only want to watch "Murder She Wrote" and "Hee Haw" reruns.

Parents are the ones who should monitor what their children watch. I don't justify... I educate. I know my son will come across porn and other things in his life and if I make a huge stink about it now, it will just make it that much more forbidden and something he'll HAVE to find when he's older. I don't rely on the government to sanitize my world for my son. It's impossible. There are so many more things I'd rather have the politicians deal with than ridding TV of obscenities (who gets to decide what's obscene, anyway?).

Just having a TV or computer doesn't guarantee that you won't see something offensive occasionally. You can't sanitize the entire world. Sooner or later, your children will come across something you don't like... that's life. Explain and educate, that will go a long way toward helping our society grow. Repression has set us back a few centuries.

It's only neglect if parents let their children sit at the computer or TV all day long, never enquiring what their children are watching, never bothering to find out what they are seeing. I do think that is neglect. But allowing them to see something and then explaining it, discussing it, using it as an educational moment in the day... not neglect or abuse.

Answer 9

they're too cheap to hire a babysitter, too lazy to play with the kid themselves, and basically enjoy blaming others for their own lack of parenting responsibility.

Answer 10

Because they're uninvolved. And therefore disrespectful to their kids.