Oh, wow.
Where do I even begin? Let's begin with this....if you are a kid stop reading this. NOW!
If you do want to read this and are a kid, go get a parent/guardian and have them read it with you.
I have been listening to buzz from some moms about 'on-line' dangers. "Don't let your kids view this or that site", "You need to use internet blockers", blah, blah, blah. I think it's not what they are viewing, it's what are they posting? Do I worry about everything out here on the internet and my kids' access to it? Of course I do. But, I think kids are putting themselves in potentially boiling hot water.
I've seen some of what other kids (not mine, but I do monitor my kids) out there post on-line via social networking. They use a lot of nasty language thinking that it is oh so funny. What they don't realize is that so very many people, the wrong people, could end up seeing/reading that stuff. They are posting videos of themselves with their friends. Again, what they may not realize is one click/copy and repost, and the thing is totally out of their control. Kids posting this stuff probably don't realize that family/friends/parents of their friends are also seeing the stuff they are posting.
So far, my munchkins have never posted something inappropriate on-line. But, I will be having a conversation with both of them again about the dangers involved with stuff like this.
The other thing that I find disturbing about what I'm seeing other kids posting is their very detailed knowledge about things I consider 'adult content.' I knew my munchkins were being exposed to some serious stuff at school etc.... I am very thankful that I have been talking with them for a long time now about all kinds of different things that folks a generation older than me would have been horrified to talk with their kids about. There are middle school aged kids out there talking about rape, intercourse and the kind of activity that got a former president into trouble (involved a blue dress? Remember?) in ways that would make a sailor blush. They are chatting about these things like, "Ha, ha! Funny!" Well, this isn't funny stuff. It's serious. What gets posted on-line is potentially out there forever. (Gee, why on earth do I blog? Must need my head examined.) I see kids carrying their smart phones to school. As an adult, how many times have you been shown pictures, video or whatever on a friend's phone? Guess what....even if your kid doesn't have a smart phone, they are looking at stuff on their friends'.
I've been reading through on-line advice to parents about how to deal with having your kids using the internet and social media. Most of what I'm seeing is pretty sanitized and simplified. "Don't be mean." "If you see on-line bullying, tell a parent." Etc...... Yes, that is good advice, BUT, as a parent, I can tell you 'don't be mean' is a start, but it's only the very tiny tip of the iceberg. I use stories the kids and I read in the newspaper and news magazines to open up discussions. When I listen with the kids to NPR, we talk about the news we are hearing. When we see TV show characters making poor choices we talk about it - why are those poor choices? What could go wrong for that character? What could that character do differently? Anything and everything can become an opportunity for learning. When my kids do tell me about bad stuff they are seeing and hearing at school, friends' houses etc, I don't berate my kids or jump to conclusions that my kids are making poor choices. I do my best to listen and then ask, "How did/do you feel about that?" I do my best to let them lead the discussion. My kids don't listen to me unless I've first listened to them. And, I know that what my kids do tell me about is only a tiny little fraction of what they are being exposed to.
So....even if you are the kind of parent that monitors the junk your kids watch on TV and the movies, you are careful about the magazines that come into your home, and you block inappropriate websites in your home, guess what? They are still being exposed to bad stuff simply by being a kid. I can't shut my kids out of the world, but I can at least do my best to prepare them for it. I only hope my best is good enough.
Peace.
Where do I even begin? Let's begin with this....if you are a kid stop reading this. NOW!
If you do want to read this and are a kid, go get a parent/guardian and have them read it with you.
I have been listening to buzz from some moms about 'on-line' dangers. "Don't let your kids view this or that site", "You need to use internet blockers", blah, blah, blah. I think it's not what they are viewing, it's what are they posting? Do I worry about everything out here on the internet and my kids' access to it? Of course I do. But, I think kids are putting themselves in potentially boiling hot water.
I've seen some of what other kids (not mine, but I do monitor my kids) out there post on-line via social networking. They use a lot of nasty language thinking that it is oh so funny. What they don't realize is that so very many people, the wrong people, could end up seeing/reading that stuff. They are posting videos of themselves with their friends. Again, what they may not realize is one click/copy and repost, and the thing is totally out of their control. Kids posting this stuff probably don't realize that family/friends/parents of their friends are also seeing the stuff they are posting.
So far, my munchkins have never posted something inappropriate on-line. But, I will be having a conversation with both of them again about the dangers involved with stuff like this.
The other thing that I find disturbing about what I'm seeing other kids posting is their very detailed knowledge about things I consider 'adult content.' I knew my munchkins were being exposed to some serious stuff at school etc.... I am very thankful that I have been talking with them for a long time now about all kinds of different things that folks a generation older than me would have been horrified to talk with their kids about. There are middle school aged kids out there talking about rape, intercourse and the kind of activity that got a former president into trouble (involved a blue dress? Remember?) in ways that would make a sailor blush. They are chatting about these things like, "Ha, ha! Funny!" Well, this isn't funny stuff. It's serious. What gets posted on-line is potentially out there forever. (Gee, why on earth do I blog? Must need my head examined.) I see kids carrying their smart phones to school. As an adult, how many times have you been shown pictures, video or whatever on a friend's phone? Guess what....even if your kid doesn't have a smart phone, they are looking at stuff on their friends'.
I've been reading through on-line advice to parents about how to deal with having your kids using the internet and social media. Most of what I'm seeing is pretty sanitized and simplified. "Don't be mean." "If you see on-line bullying, tell a parent." Etc...... Yes, that is good advice, BUT, as a parent, I can tell you 'don't be mean' is a start, but it's only the very tiny tip of the iceberg. I use stories the kids and I read in the newspaper and news magazines to open up discussions. When I listen with the kids to NPR, we talk about the news we are hearing. When we see TV show characters making poor choices we talk about it - why are those poor choices? What could go wrong for that character? What could that character do differently? Anything and everything can become an opportunity for learning. When my kids do tell me about bad stuff they are seeing and hearing at school, friends' houses etc, I don't berate my kids or jump to conclusions that my kids are making poor choices. I do my best to listen and then ask, "How did/do you feel about that?" I do my best to let them lead the discussion. My kids don't listen to me unless I've first listened to them. And, I know that what my kids do tell me about is only a tiny little fraction of what they are being exposed to.
So....even if you are the kind of parent that monitors the junk your kids watch on TV and the movies, you are careful about the magazines that come into your home, and you block inappropriate websites in your home, guess what? They are still being exposed to bad stuff simply by being a kid. I can't shut my kids out of the world, but I can at least do my best to prepare them for it. I only hope my best is good enough.
Peace.
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Be peaceful and respectful.