Parents,do you let your kids access the internet alone?

Question

If so,what are there ages and when did you start allowing this?I have three kids-the oldest is 13,and I still moniter all of their on-line time.My youngest is 7-no internet access,the middle 11-only games.I do this to protect them from the vulgarity and crud that can be so easily accessed.Polite answers only please.GOD-bless

Answer 1

My parents bought me for a computer for my room when i was 8 and ever since that day theyve trusted me and dont always monitor and by the way im 14 now. I honestly think you should allow your kids to have theyre acces to the internet without them knowing you check. You should probably check once or twice a week at the history or cookies. Now your 13 year old son may be looking at bad pictures like p**n and stuff because hes curious and i did it when i was 13 almost 14. And if you do see him looking at nasty pictures or vidoes just talk to him. So really just check the history and cookies secretly every week. Hope this helps

Answer 2

i don't think you should have to monitor it over their shoulder

but you could check the history after they get done you do that

by:

Tools

-Internet options

--browsing history

---delete

Answer 3

if they are boys, you should check, cause theyll be looking at you know what. my mom never monitored me. but i guess im different. im a girl. and games can be okay for a 7 year old. my niece plays and shes 6. the boys that i babysit are 4 and 6 and they have computers in their room. but they are only for games. and cartoonnetwork and stuff like that. just make sure you restrict certain sites. you can do that my asking your provider for a block thing, i dont really know what to do. but yea.

Answer 4

My ten year old may access the Internet in the living room on one of the laptops. I can frequently walk by and see what's going on. It's usually *webkinz* or whatever.. but I still check.

My 5 year old needs a little help- but not much. She can turn it on and get the browser up and type in her fave sites like barbie.com or mylittlepony.com without my help.

we have laptops so if they want on it- it just goes to whatever room I am in.

Answer 5

It's parent like you I love: This might seem unfair to the kids, but what you are doing right now is the best thing I think. Don't change anything. =)))

Answer 6

You are right to monitor the way you do.  I agree with you, there is a lot of vulgarity on the internet.  Also, if your kids are chatting with friends, a lot of times they can talk very mean to people or visa versa.  Kids have a tendency to say things on the internet that they might not say in person.  It's a good idea to monitor the internet!  I think it would be okay for your 7 year old to play games on the internet too.  As for the 13 year old, if you trust her/him, I'd say it's okay to use the computer without being monitored, but let him/her know that at anytime you will check to see what they're doing on the internet.

Answer 7

I have an 11 year old and twin 9 year olds. I have parental controls set up for them - they have no e-mail and our computer is in the living room for the whole world to see what you're doing. They only have access to things like webkinz, club penguin, etc. They really don't use the computer much, they're too busy outside playing.

Answer 8

I allow my kids who are 14, 11, and 8 get online and even my 5 year old gets on Nick Jr. to play preschool games. My computer is in the living room so I can see everything that is going on.

Answer 9

sorry but your 13 year old is exposed to much worse at school anyhow....He isn't a little boy anymore give him some space.

At 13 a child should be able to use the internet without you up his ***.

Answer 10

I got a laptop last week and im 13 and my parents trust me enough not to look at bad things

Answer 11

Nobody accesses the internet alone in our house - both internet enabled computers are in the living room & kitchen.  Sure, there are times when the teen is home alone or up late & is online, but we have been teaching her how to make good decisions for herself since she first showed interest in the internet, around 6yo or so.  We started out sitting by her, playing games & chatting in game rooms - talking to her about the different people who would come in - teaching her how to 'walk away' from the weirdos, etc.  

We're doing the same with the other kids, too, although they mostly just want to find walkthroughs for their DS games online :D

Answer 12

My parents has parental controls on the computer when i was a kid, but i think they took them off when I was 14 or so? they trusted me not too look at any bad stuff and I haven't!

Answer 13

I know I am not a parent, but I am thirteen and have been on the internet scince i was nine. I mostly did neopets or homework. I am allowed to have a MySpace when I turn fourteen, scince it is what the site reccomends and it has to be a closed account so only mt friends can acess it. You can get a Myspace too and monitor your child's friends every week or what ever, but don't embasrras them on accident because all thier friends could see it!

Answer 14

at this time (9) not alone no,  I don't know why you wouldn't allow your youngest to though to get on PBS kids and similar sites though.  I wouldn't allow it all day but it won't hurt them.  Besides you know all about forbidden fruit right?  Better when your around to supervise.

Answer 15

Now that he's 16, yes. However, I still check in on him, and have all his passwords. I still get in his face. And he knows it. I have the search engines on the moderate level. He knows I know how to figure things out, so he's not doing anything stupid.

The computer needs to be in a public part of your home, where it's busy. Ours is in the living room - yes, of course, it's not wonderful - in a corner, with the screen facing OUT.

We've just had a computer a year, but if we would have had it when he was younger, we would have put all the strictest parental controls on it - our cable internet provider offers this, or there are programs which you can access.

You are going to have to loosen up a little bit on your younger two - the middle one is going to be needing it for school, for research, etc. so you need to let him explore a bit.

Answer 16

my son is too young to access the internet but i have made up my mind to not allow him to have a computer in his room..the computer will have to be placed maybe in the family room or my office if he wants to use it....when he gets older around 16 or so i will allow him to have one in his room

Answer 17

you could block any hameful sites or bad ones and have it and let the 13 years old use it

Answer 18

Yes - but then, my youngest is 25...

Answer 19

Why don't you let your 7 year old play games?