Please, only answer if you are 18 or older.?

Question

There are a lot of questions on YAHOO! ANSWERS that deal with homework,boyfriend & girlfiend help of kids 14 & younger,10,11,12 year old boys & girls saying their parents don't understand them,13 year old boys & girls wanting to know about sex & condoms and the pill. Where are these kids parents? Why are so many adolecent children ask very personal adult questions? Many of these topics should be discussed in private. I am simply amazed at todays youth & the adult themes they share. When I was 13,14 years old I just wanted to know where a good sand lot was to play a game of pick-up baseball. Children, & I call you children if your younger than 18 because thats what you are, talk to your parents.If you do not have parents or you would rather talk to some other adult then do so. If I know someone is younger than 18 on this site I'm not going to answer your adult sexual questions or help you with your homework when you should be studying yourself. How do others here feel about this?

Answer 1

I wondered the same thing too. I am not letting my kids get on line and talk randomly to adults and other kids about adult situations. I think sometimes the parents see computers as free babysitting. They know where their kids are and they think that is enough. Sometimes I think that if kids didn't have so much access to adult info then they wouldn't be on here asking about STDs and how to do at home abortions. This world is going down hill fast and taking all it's morals with it.

Answer 2

I understand how you feel, but have a hard time agreeing on a full basis. I saw some questions asked that I was completely appalled by to be asked of such a large and unknown audience. I consider that some of these underaged people may not have a person they can talk to about their circumstance. Some of them may not have access to a parent, sibling, teacher, friend, or person they can confide in to answer such question. A great many people may have lived through the situation and feel it necessary to give that questioner the best answer they know. Also, there is a link area where the answerer can give the questioner a website that may provide some help from a professional in that field. With all this said, I take the approach that if I had lived through it or understand what all they provided, I'll answer like I would want to be told but will try to push them to a site with more information that was produced by a professional in the field.

Answer 3

I skip the absurd questions.. like a 12 year old asking what a first kiss should be like.. or damn near all of the teenage drama queen stuff (I have enough of that in my own house)
I will gladly respond to any parent wondering about their kids..
For a homework question.. I will generally lead them in the right direction to find the answer without giving it away...
But, the intent of the site it a place where questions can be asked and answered..
If a teenager has a legitimate concern about sex, or relationships, emotional distress. I consider it for a while and think perhaps they might be in a position where they have no other option than to post a question here and see if they can get an honest, objective answer to something they don't feel comfortable talking to their parents about. Maybe it is something they would be embarrassed about if their friends at school knew? Rumors can be devastating.
If a 15 year old says that they cut themselves because they are feeling lost and alone in the world, I feel responsible as a parent to do the best I can to help them with that.
Times change.. the difference between teenagers today and 20 or 30 years ago is.. that they have the information at their fingertips. There is more knowlege in the world and more ways of getting it.
This is one giant annonymous slumber party .. and everyone is invited.. ask your questions, tell your jokes, find a sounding board for your drama, share a funny story, ask a personal question, reveal your biggest secret or fear without the consequences or hate or ridicule to be expected.
Sure it is not perfect in its design or administration or implementation.. but there is no doubt in my mind that far more good will come of this site then harm.
People are busy.. parents are too selfishly caught up in their own drama to spend adequate time at the dinnertable discussing the birds and bees and facts of life with their kids.
Is it fair to hold the kids responsible for that? What good will it do them to ignore their pleas for help?
If you aren't part of the solution.. you are part of the problem.
You are right about what you say.. all teenagers should go talk to their parents about sexual related matters. But what if they can't? That is why they are here. And that is why I keep logging back in. I like knowing I might be in a position to help.

Answer 4

I so agree with you. I miss the innocent days. I too wish ages were included or a different site for youngsters...I will not answer any question from a child because I do agree their parents should be the ones teaching them so many of the things they ask. You are young so short of a time I dont know why they can't enjoy this time. I did and don't regret being the innocent. Shoot I grew up on a farm and still never knew anything till nursing school!!! As far as homework..look it up..we did and we rememberred it. Thanks for saying what Ive been feeling.

Answer 5

Several thoughts on this. If they are going to want answers, and there's no one else they feel they can talk to, then it's better to ask a question here than not at all.

Computers are in bedrooms, games machines can connect to the internet. It's not a question of "where" physically are the parents - more why haven't the parents talked to their kids about things - sufficient to gain their trust.

Finally - Yahoo is negligent in it's duties by not removing such posts and users when they are reported.

Answer 6

I am very open with my children about sex. There is no topic I will not discuss with them. They know they are free to ask anything. And they do!

I wish children did not have to rely on total strangers in a form to find out the information they need. But not all parents are as open with their children.

I think it is the adult members of the forms responisbility to handle those questions with care and not to elude to anything inapproprate.

Answer 7

I thought it over and thought, you know, if I answer some younger persons question on anything risque then people should know I didn't have time to research anyones age. It just the internet, an advanced phone call, so I like my presence here. Homework ones I like to try and answer and I think younger asking older is logical on that one. Original material is what the boys and girls may have and it attracts my eye sometimes but otherwise I try and answer based on having any interest in the question.

Answer 8

I agree, yahoo is so quick to throw off ADULTS on here that want to give creative and sometimes funny answers, (thru the "abuse policy") yet the real abuse lies in the young kids on this forum who pose as adults and who can't spell and/or have either completely irrelevant advice, or whom DO ask inappropriate questions... tis true, the world is changing so fast and the parents aren't quite catching up...

Answer 9

Unfortuneatley in our modern society, children are left to raise themselves more often then not. Also, the anonymity of the internet makes people feel safe about asking personal questions.

Asking some stranger who they'll never meet again is a lot easier than asking a parent whom they live with about certain topics... I know that I wouldn't want to ask my mother or father about what kind of condoms I should use on my date out if I was a kid... that would just be too awkward.

Answer 10

I am totally with you. When I was 16 I was still playing with Barbie dolls and babysitting.

I think one reason is that TV and pop culture are exposing children to the wrong things. Taking God out of school also has had an effect.

It has surprised me that kids are asking for help with their homework on here.