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Originally Posted by BlackCrayon
a lot of people believe that kids that young shouldn't be online. i tend to agree. i won't be letting my kids have any kind of internet access at least not without me in the same room so i can keep an eye on whats going on. computers are the future but you also want to make sure they don't become socially dependant on them and get outside and play like kids should. i also don't agree with young kids having cell phones.
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My kids computer is in my living room, where I sit is about 4 feet from them and I can see what they are doing at ALL times. I have filters on their computers, and I have remote access to them so I can see what they are doing at any given time. I randomly check their cache and other such files that can be checked and I do all of the maintenance on them myself. I know what they are doing on there at any and ALL times. Why deprive them from some of the awesome educational things on the internet when they can be using them to strengthen their own knowledge for the future? Why deprive them of getting a jump on the inevitable? Why deprive them of ANYTHING that is going to directly effect their futures, really?
They have MSN to talk to their school friends and their older sister and friends from out of town that we know, BUT they know that if anyone they do not know starts paging them, they are to call me immediately and I go and handle it then and there.
The thing is here, I believe in teaching my kids of the dangers in their world as opposed to letting them go and find out the hard way and potentially only after it is too late to turn back. If you ask my 8 yr old about online predators, she will be able to tell you about them as is appropriate to HER age..... my 13 yr old can tell you in a little more detail and my 17 yr old in a little more detail. They know what they need to know to protect themselves as is appropriate to their ages and in a way they understand the dangers involved!
I am a mom that wants my kids PREPARED for their world as they leave my home because I can't always protect them, I want them to KNOW where the danger are and how to deal with and handle them, not to panic and get themselves into trouble when some sick fuck says to them "Everyone is doing it, you can trust me"...... you say those words to MY kids and you are likely to meet MY wrath when they call me to come and handle that.
I will note here though, they are not allowed in any chat rooms, they are ONLY allowed to use MSN and it is blocked from anyone outside their own little loop. They are allowed this usage because we do have out of town friends and family that don't live with us and they are allowed to use it to talk to them.
Is this popular? NOPE! And I know this, BUT, will YOUR kids know what to do when they get older and some sick fuck gets into THEIR heads? Likely not, prepare them and they will be fine.