This world? The predators aren’t just hiding behind the Galaga machine at the arcade. They’re in our kids’ pockets, in their backpacks, in their bedrooms.
It’s not okay to play the Luddite. Bumbling dad with the remote control only the kids can figure out needs to die along with dad jeans.
Know your kids’ digital lives. Prowl their email, their laptops and their phones.
“Have your kids’ passwords,” Bacon said. “Have a working idea of how to use your kids’ phone. Mom and Dad bought it for them, for crying out loud. They need to know how to use it.”
Remember iPhone dad? He’s the poor guy who had a two-year legal battle in Dallas after he was arrested on a property-theft charge for taking away his daughter’s iPhone when she used it in a horrid way. He was right. Be like iPhone dad.
Bacon said he tells parents to never let their kids have in-depth, online conversations with strangers. If your kid has crossed the line, ask your phone carrier to have your kid’s phone mirrored to your phone.
“Every text, every picture they send, Mom and Dad can see on their device,” he said.
My kids hate it when I do that. Too bad.
Not long ago, I was going through the search history on my 11-year-old son’s laptop. Nerf guy, Lego, Nerf, Cats vs. Cucumbers, Curves. Wait! Curves?
I clicked on that one, my stomach lurching at the thought of a porn conversation with my tween.
“Curves — the Hot Wheels Track Builder Challenge!” Whew.
I don't know the scope of the problem,
Sounds like a fundie helicopter parent, that's the problem. I'd like to go line by line and make asshole sarcastic comments(my specialty) about each one, but I don't feel quite up to it, so I'll just make a select few.
Remember iPhone dad? I don't. Remember that girl at work I've talked about? Well, the good news is I've been far less awkward around her because I know it's not gonna happen with her, but that's not relevant. What's relevant is that her parents confiscated her smartphone for about 3 months, despite it being her property, and she was still paying the monthly bill. They didn't want her playing on it at work. She's 25, by the way.
I also want to know what "horrid way" that girl used it in. I suppose photos of Justin Beiber would be cause to have an exorcism performed on the phone, but still...
Okay, that rummage through your 11-year-old's search history? And you think "Curves" is a pornographic term? The closest thing to that being pornographic without intentionally making it a porn search would be Curves Fitness, a women's gym. Just be glad you didn't click on the "Cat vs Cucumber" one
. Oh, and 11 is probably a good age to consider having that kind of conversation with your child.
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Topic: Things that made you go "WTF?" today o_O (Read 14837800 times)