15 yr old daughter lives on the internet!!! - Page 2

[SJane01]

Originally Posted by akrab

my kids do not get on the computer without asking first and they do not go into chat rooms or do instant messaging. When they want to get on the computer I always ask them why they need to get on it. It is also out in an open area so that they can be watched at any time. I trust my kids but do not trust other people that they may have contact with if that makes sense. My oldest (16) gets on the computer for maybe an hour a night to look up car parts or download music for his MP3 player... my 10 year old likes to look up xbox codes or play at Nickelodeon.. my daughter likes to read the blogs of our friends and family members... I am not a strict parent I dont think but I do watch out for my kids safety where ever they may be... if that makes any sense....

Well, Would you insist that your kids sit in the livingroom to chat with their friends from school everytime they visit? To me that is the same thing. I trust my son well enough that he knows right from wrong, and if someone is tring to get him to do wrong things on the internet that he blocks them. Instant messenger is a wonderful thing, we have over 30 member of our family that utilize it and its a primary means of keeping in touch. I hope you will reconsider and encourage your children to use such means of keeping in touch with distant members of family and friends.

I read a billboard sign the other day that got posted locally, it said 1 out of 5 children are sexually sollicited online. It did not say abused, it said sollicited. But from that, I know that 100% of children are sexually sollicited on the school bus, and in school. The internet is no more dangerous than chatting in school, and it is a wonderful tool for keeping in touch with people and learning.

[akrab]

no, but when their friends are here I *know* who they are talking to. My kids do not ride a school bus, I drive them to and from school. They keep in touch with family by writting letters and talking on the phone. They go to friends houses with permission and their friends come here. We live in a very small town. I am not telling my kids they *cannot* do those things but they know of the dangers and I guess dont dare venture there. My son has been *solicited* drugs at school.. I know these things happen, my kids are very open with me. I know I cannot protect them from everything but I feel it is my job to keep them as safe as I can. They are aware of the dangers but that doesnt mean I need to subject them to those things for them to learn first hand. I hope that comes across the right way. I am not making arguement just clarifying my side

Originally Posted by SJane01

Well, Would you insist that your kids sit in the livingroom to chat with their friends from school everytime they visit? To me that is the same thing. I trust my son well enough that he knows right from wrong, and if someone is tring to get him to do wrong things on the internet that he blocks them. Instant messenger is a wonderful thing, we have over 30 member of our family that utilize it and its a primary means of keeping in touch. I hope you will reconsider and encourage your children to use such means of keeping in touch with distant members of family and friends.

I read a billboard sign the other day that got posted locally, it said 1 out of 5 children are sexually sollicited online. It did not say abused, it said sollicited. But from that, I know that 100% of children are sexually sollicited on the school bus, and in school. The internet is no more dangerous than chatting in school, and it is a wonderful tool for keeping in touch with people and learning.

[SJane01]

Perfectly clear...

[bayberry*moon]

Originally Posted by SJane01

I read a billboard sign the other day that got posted locally, it said 1 out of 5 children are sexually sollicited online. It did not say abused, it said sollicited. But from that, I know that 100% of children are sexually sollicited on the school bus, and in school. The internet is no more dangerous than chatting in school, and it is a wonderful tool for keeping in touch with people and learning.

The 1 in 5 stat comes from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children/Cybertipline. Here they are in detail:

- 1 in 5 child Internet users have received unwanted sexual solicitations yet only 1 in 4 have told a parent

- 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually victimized before they reach adulthood. Less than 35% of these sexual assault cases are reported*

I don't think it is fair to compare this to kids talking to their peers at school...for one thing, when it is over the internet, it is a lot easier for predators to misrepresent who they are. I'm all for the internet and agree that it is a wonderful tool, but some people out there are using it for some pretty scary things. In order to keep the internet wonderful, I think it is all of our responsibility to do what we can to keep the predators away so that everyone,especially kids/teens, can enjoy the internet without having to worry about being approached by sexual predators!