I've noticed that more and more preteens and teens aged 13 or 14 seem to be getting online all the time, for hours on end - and getting involved in things that, in my opinion, are completely inappropriate for their age. Chat rooms are mostly targetted at adults and can harbor pedophiles lurking to find unsuspecting teens. Moreover - is it just me or should they be focusing on more productive activities like reading, sports etc. ?
What age do you think kids should be allowed to go online during their leisure time? What rules, if any, do you set for your kid(s) and why? How do you decide what is age-appropriate content for your kid(s)?
2007-02-14 11:14:58 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
I'm 14 and I have unlimited access to the internet because my mother knows I'm not on or doing anything inappropriate, I do my homework or anything else that has to be done (for example going outside to get exercise or washing the dishes) and going online at night when it is quiet and is when I have most of my freetime.
P.S. The internet can actually be good for children because it is another way to get research for school projects, listen to wide range of different music without having to buy CDs or listening to a crappy old radio (which has a limited amount of stations), and just another way to learn about the world around them.
2007-02-17 12:23:30 · answer #1 · answered by annagarcia1992@sbcglobal.net 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I feel that teenagers should be limited to their use on the internet. Especially young girls. The girls seem to be more easily seduced into the webs of danger than boys. Although I do know of some young boys who were completly violated as well. Yes there are ways to monitoring what your teen does on the net. You can out parental controls on the computer. Please keep in mind that if you have a particularly smart one....they can work their way around your restrictions. It is possible. There is also a program that can keep track of the key strokes on the computer. This one you may find works best. The internet shouldn't be a place thats "off limits". I know there are possibilities of mischief, but there is also quite a bit of healthy, positive information too. Try just limiting the time spent on the computer first. Maybe set a time each day that your teen can have "free time" on the computer. This should show that your not trying to take away their privilages, but at the same time it should show you mean buisness when you set rules for their usage. Just make sure you talk to your teens about the reality of whats on the net.....Don't sugar coat it. Make sure they know the outcomes of what can happen to someone being naive to predators. I feel indirect communication works best when informing your children. Not to many kids like direct communication. I think they feel more intimidated in that state. For me, I usually do dishes or find some kind of busy work, when I talk to my 15 year old step daughter. (about serious matters) This has proved to be a comfortable barrier for both of us.
~The truth is ....It's still a trial and error formulation~ Try your first techniques(hopefully they will work for you) , but if your system fails...don't give up, just try another route for a different technique.
AWWW the joys of parenting!
*Good luck to you* I hope you find the answers you were looking for!
2007-02-14 17:20:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They should absolutely have limited access! You never know what your kids are upto on the internet and you never know who is contacting your kids on the internet. I only allow my daughter on sites that I've approved of. Mind you she is only 9 years old so those sites are like Barbie.com & Bratz.com but you can do similar things for preteens & teens. Go to your computer's control panel & click "Internet Settings" or "Internet Options" - click on the "Content" tab on the top. There should be an area that says "Content Advisor", click "Enable," from here you should be able to adjust custom levels of blocking all content on the computer. You could just decrease the levels when you want to get on it. Or, I imagine you could invest in some kind of software.
2007-02-14 18:47:06 · answer #3 · answered by avaadore82 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well my kids won't be allowed on the computer at all at school or at home. One because the school's in my husband's country don't have computers I think and two because we don't have Internet in his house in his home country. No I don't think pre teens and teens should have access to the Internet at all especially the girls because of all the pedophiles out there.
2007-02-14 13:31:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
NO, I would allow my children on-line, but NEVER on any kind of "interactive" page. That means, NO - chat rooms, message boards, social networking (myspace). It's just to dangerous. So, I would allow them on-line, but only on selective sites.
2007-02-14 20:43:00 · answer #5 · answered by olschoolmom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes , never censor anything, in stead sit down with your children and teach them all about the world , the net the good and the bad, help them make good choices Thur knowledge not Thur fear
2007-02-16 00:34:17 · answer #6 · answered by koleary388 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
depends on how much free time they have in the day to actually go on
as long as u block the porno sites, they should be fine.
2007-02-14 13:52:21 · answer #7 · answered by The_Pink_One 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes of course why shouldn't they have
2007-02-14 20:04:11 · answer #8 · answered by ella 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋