Quote:
Originally posted by Dianna Vesta@Dec 4 2002, 05:37 PM
I like it better too the only problem is shared PC where adults also want adult access- then again I read some place where MS is going to start building in child protection control or something like that. Maybe it had to do with network permissions or users loggin on.
If I had a young child they would not have access to my PC and I damn sure would monitor theirs AND add controls.
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It's all about parenting...
My kids, ages 7, 6 and 2 are computer literate (ok, the little one just passed the "don't mash the keys stage and plays mainly Crayola Fun Set on CDRom). All of my "adult" stuff is stored in hidden files.
The kids know which desktop icon in theirs (I have an IE shortcut to nick.com on it as the homepage). I have all of the blocking features and they only go to cartoonnetwork.com and nick.com My son recently discovered the power of dotcom's and grabs his favorite videos and types in videowhatever.com So, I have to watch a little more carefully now thinks to fuckwads who register "kids type" domains and point them to porn sites...
My kids aren't allowed into chatrooms (and of course don't really have much interest in them and have limited abilaity to use them anyways). I'm more concerned about chatroom predators than I am my kids maybe accidently poking around around in "dad's work area" and finding a couple dirty pictures...
While I do monitor their activities and am almost always in the same room when they are using the computer, they know to stick to mainly cartoonnetwork.com and nick.com. I've not just blocked my kids but also EDUCATED them, I give them a reason they can't just use the computer all the time or can't go to certain sites. This is a bigger problem, IMHO, lack of EDUCATING the children to the dangers of predators and online strangers, just as I have EDUCATED them about strangers they meet on the street.
While using the computer as a babysitter isn't the answer, neither is making such a huge fuss over them possibly seeing a few dirty pictures...it's all about education....
When my son gets older, he's probably do engage in the cyber version of find dad's Playboy's between the mattresses most of us did as young teens...but I'll be there to educate him and not just throw up blinders and panic if he thinks to type in playboy.com.
Too many parents are afraid of educating their own children...they're too quick to just start censoring using only "Because, I said so" as a reason.
I'm also much more worried about the bombmaking sites than my kids stumbling onto persiankitty.com ;)
and luckily my kids still think of naked people as "yucky" when they get older and no longer think that, then I have to play father and re-adjust the rules a little bit...it's called parenting and as crazy as it sounds, it acutally works...
I now have a 7 year old son who can code a basic html page by hand and a 6 year olds daughter who is quickly learning...
the parents who need to worry are those who buy their 15,16,17 year old daughter webcams.....when my daughter hits that age, I think her webcam will mmysterious keep getting blocked by the firewall ;)))) Education needs to start early and keep going...it's not a 3-4-5 year job....