Say you were a guardian or parent and get to decide when a child can get a phone or use a computer and get internet with it. If you wish you can also install software and change router settings to what you see fit.
Some parents decide to forbid the internet completely, others are more relaxed. Some go the helicopter route, and some do not care whatsoever what their kid does online.
What is your policy on letting a child use the internet?
A friend had an excellent (but evil) one.
His son had found some more… interesting areas of the internet (aka porn). He collected a selection of his browsing history and sat him down. They then went, video by video, having an open and honest discussion about it. Dad had FAR more tolerance for mortifying embarrassment than his son did. He learnt to clear the history at least.
The 2nd discussion, 6 months later, used the router logs instead.
I’m not sure I would use this particular method. However, it was apparently highly effective at making his kids think things through (for better or for worse!).
Wow, I’m not sure if I am more impressed at him pulling it through or shattering the adult trust by stabbing him in the back like this.
I mean, if you (parent) didn’t tell him, how should he know? It’s essential to know in advance.
Yeah, I honestly think that initial “Hey, don’t do this” talk is better in advance. I remember getting my ass whooped for saying “Fuck” as a kid when I literally didn’t know what the word meant and my parent put the video on in the first place.
Educate your kids on what isn’t allowed in the first place. If they do something bad that you didn’t tell them in advance, then explain why the action is bad, not to do it again, and that you will be checking/monitoring for that behavior. Then you can at least be fully justified in any future punishments because you gave a warning.
Punishments for initial mistakes and unknown wrongs just suck, and they kinda stick with you 🫤
this is good because it teaches the kid the importance of privacy and the entire lack thereof online.
it’s also nice to not freak out at porn viewing and to teach them it’s ok in moderation.