tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post113218867407462657..comments2023-10-11T09:22:33.136-04:00Comments on Paperback Writer: EightUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132363800929132092005-11-18T20:30:00.000-05:002005-11-18T20:30:00.000-05:00I don't think you're being a Nazi either. My kids...I don't think you're being a Nazi either. My kids surf with me in the room--though they look up mostly Pokemon, Neopets and NBA Jerseys. <BR/><BR/>The kids are getting a computer but since I can't figure out how I want to network both computers (and control their content), they won't have internet access in their room.<BR/><BR/>My son wants a PSP--yeah right. Not happening. And a dog. Not happening.<BR/><BR/>I'd go for the bunny before the snake but then I'm phobic about snakes.Amie Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14145328243563702260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132357642409831452005-11-18T18:47:00.000-05:002005-11-18T18:47:00.000-05:00I persoally have two shelties. They are my favori...I persoally have two shelties. They are my favorite dog breed. I wouldn't give them up for all the tea in China, as the saying goes.<BR/><BR/>They are wonderful with children, smart, and extremely loyal. They do need to be brushed regularly, but other than that, shelties are fairly low maintenace.<BR/><BR/>Good Luck if you do get one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132327411522468662005-11-18T10:23:00.000-05:002005-11-18T10:23:00.000-05:00Rabbits live for far longer than three years (unle...Rabbits live for far longer than three years (unless you're very unlucky!) Ours is 10 and counting. The secret to rabbit longevity is to feed mainly hay, not rabbit food. Rabbits' guts are designed to eat grass/hay, not cereal. And I'm a vet, so I know about rabbit guts ; ) If you get a snake, make sure to research vivarium conditions, although living in sunny, warm Florida will make it less tricky to keep a snake healthy than for people in England, where I live.<BR/><BR/>Re Internet: agree. Our family PC is in the main room of the house, and staying there. We don't have any filters (children 11 and 7) but we keep an eye on what they're looking at at all times.<BR/>My 11 year old's Christmas list is almost exactly the same as your daughter's, Sheila, only substitute poodle for sheltie and hamster for rabbit ;)Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17899503081561929657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132317515161634512005-11-18T07:38:00.000-05:002005-11-18T07:38:00.000-05:00Bunnies are adorable, just like hamsters, but mayb...Bunnies are adorable, just like hamsters, but maybe there is one thing to consider... they don't live long. For a child who already experienced the trauma of losing a much-loved animal companion, having a pet whose life span is three years at best can be emotionally difficult.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132317176286028682005-11-18T07:32:00.000-05:002005-11-18T07:32:00.000-05:00God, people, you are all nazis :) It would never o...God, people, you are all nazis :) It would never occur to my parents to monitor my private (e)mail just like it never occurred to them to listen in to my private phone calls. That's why they call it private :) Okay, maybe the trust had something with do with my Mensa-level IQ tests, but I don't think so. <BR/><BR/>I wonder if it's maybe an American thing? In Europe, I noticed most parents are much more relaxed. <BR/><BR/>They never censored my reading either. I wanted to read de Maupassant at the age of eight, I did. Although I didn't find his work as interesting as I probably would if it were some kind of forbidden fruit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132296977891607312005-11-18T01:56:00.000-05:002005-11-18T01:56:00.000-05:00I think you're being a great parent. It's probably...I think you're being a great parent. It's probably what I'd do if I had a ten year old who wanted to use the internet. ( gad. I have a high tolerance for online garbage and I've seen stuff I never wanted to.)<BR/><BR/>Snakes: reptiles can be good pets, but perhaps a bearded dragon might be suitable in a couple years. I had turtles and lizardy things from about her age. <BR/><BR/>( monster rancher? SO want.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132295008656742762005-11-18T01:23:00.000-05:002005-11-18T01:23:00.000-05:00I've had unrestricted access to the internet since...I've had unrestricted access to the internet since I was thirteen. I'm seventeen now.<BR/><BR/>I won't lie; I've looked up porn and I've met people through the internet.<BR/><BR/>I turned out okay. No bad experiences so far. But I'm definitely in a minority of people who are able to handle themselves appropriately on the internet. You're right to look out for your kids.<BR/><BR/>My parents placed no limits on me at all. It was terrible. In the end, I had to look to outside influences and make many mistakes in order to raise myself.<BR/><BR/>Monster Rancher is a weird game. I prefer Pokemon for my monster battling needs.<BR/><BR/>Also, your child needs Kingdom Hearts if they don't have it already. Disney + Final Fantasy = outstanding!<BR/><BR/>Or just get them a Gamecube and Zelda: Wind Waker.<BR/><BR/>*Nintendo fanatic*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132292584545545752005-11-18T00:43:00.000-05:002005-11-18T00:43:00.000-05:00Oddly enough, my 10-year-old has never used the in...Oddly enough, my 10-year-old has never used the internet to look for nude photos or sex info, has never visited a chat room, has never searched our bedroom for . . . um, <I>stuff</I>, and knocks before charging into our bedroom late at night. (Why? Because we managed to convince him it would scar him forever if he walked in on us having sex.)<BR/><BR/>I'd get her the snake. A nice, big, fat one who will eat the pet bunny. That way, you'll only have two additional pets to worry about. (Keep the sheltie away from the snake. Constrictors absolutely <I>lurve</I> the taste of dog.)<BR/><BR/>I'm going to get myself banned from your site, aren't I?Douglas Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17554788570160506080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132279409589820112005-11-17T21:03:00.000-05:002005-11-17T21:03:00.000-05:00I have a bunny. He's a sweetheart. But... gettin...I have a bunny. He's a sweetheart. But... getting a bunny and a puppy at the same time might be really rough on the bun. If it's a house rabbit, you'll want to let it out on a regular basis, and puppies tend to yap and chase bunnies. Whenever my BILs bring their dogs to our house, they chase the bun back and forth in his cage (on the floor) until we take the cage out of the house entirely. These are nice, calm, older dogs that just go ballistic at the sight of the bunny. The bun doesn't like them much, either.Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00345856694410479930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132274121190724522005-11-17T19:35:00.000-05:002005-11-17T19:35:00.000-05:00Monster Rancher? That sounds interesting.Snakes a...Monster Rancher? That sounds interesting.<BR/><BR/>Snakes and bunnies...not necessarily a match made in heaven, unless you're the snake.<BR/><BR/>Personal internet in her room? Maybe when she's old and in a public place in the house instead of her room--with all the other caveats you employ (not because you don't trust her, either). But I'm archaic and think kids shouldn't necessarily have TVs, VCRs, and game machines in their room either. Clock radios--no problem; you can place the responsibility for getting up in the morning on them. Of course, if her brother already has it, and they have similar maturity levels, that would be a more equitable guideline for family fairness than my arbitrary curmudgeonliness.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01805501348812702651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132266166673322772005-11-17T17:22:00.000-05:002005-11-17T17:22:00.000-05:00Since when is being a responsible parent consider ...Since when is being a responsible parent consider akin to being a 'nazi'?<BR/><BR/>The problem today is that too many parents are using the computer as a baby-sitter and have no idea what sites they're going to or they're chatting with.<BR/><BR/>When it comes to predators on the internet, there is only one way to keep kids safe, and that's no access. The alternative is parental responsibility. <BR/><BR/>Thumbs waaayyy up there, PBW, for teaching your kids trust and honesty.Jaye Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05595648222196000153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132262803323445172005-11-17T16:26:00.000-05:002005-11-17T16:26:00.000-05:00You go, Sheila. You're doing what you need to do t...You go, Sheila. You're doing what you need to do to protect your children. :)<BR/><BR/>LindaLindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736694155016381228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132257669732467212005-11-17T15:01:00.000-05:002005-11-17T15:01:00.000-05:00Good for you, PBW. I moniter my 14 yr old. He's a ...Good for you, PBW. I moniter my 14 yr old. He's a great kid and I'm proud of the responsibility he takes in his actions. But he's still a teenager. All it takes is one misstep. And he isn't the one I'm necessarily worried about.<BR/>On the other hand, my 8 yr old is very limited in his computer use. I'd rather he go outside and play. Or read a book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132254817109500892005-11-17T14:13:00.000-05:002005-11-17T14:13:00.000-05:00Don't feel bad for doing what's best for your daug...Don't feel bad for doing what's best for your daughter. Sounds to me like you're doing the right things for the right reasons.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132250384352200852005-11-17T12:59:00.000-05:002005-11-17T12:59:00.000-05:00I don't have kids, but I definitely agree that min...I don't have kids, but I definitely agree that minors and their internet use should be monitored by their parents and other caring adults. You're just being a good parent.<BR/>fsFrederick Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06931988603225411355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132248906244916112005-11-17T12:35:00.000-05:002005-11-17T12:35:00.000-05:00Did you also want a snake when you were a little g...Did you also want a snake when you were a little girl? I think that's so cute. Maybe she can test-drive one (borrow) for a while and see how it works out.crissachappellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14508935314449103606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132246083273727682005-11-17T11:48:00.000-05:002005-11-17T11:48:00.000-05:00PBW - It's so refreshing to read that you (and oth...PBW - <BR/><BR/>It's so refreshing to read that you (and other parents here) are taking an active role in monitoring - not prying - monitoring their children's Internet use. The Internet is a virtual world, and just like the real world, there are kid-safe places next to not-so-kid-safe places. A little pro-active parenting and care can prevent a lot of trouble.<BR/><BR/>I'm proud to say that we monitor things here carefully as well. We control the domain and the servers for our e-mail and Internet connection, so we can lock things down pretty tightly if need be. So far - there hasn't been a need. *whew* <BR/><BR/>As for the snake - I've known several people who've had snakes with no problems. I think that kind of pet depends on individual taste - maybe that's not to your taste. And speaking of taste - none of them had any bunnies around. Coincidence? :-D<BR/><BR/>Barbies? Barbies? We don't need no stinkin' Barbies?<BR/><BR/>LOL!<BR/><BR/>Summary of this ramble: You're not a Nazi - you're a PARENT!PJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07712663103711702870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132243905905985162005-11-17T11:11:00.000-05:002005-11-17T11:11:00.000-05:00Not overcautious....smart. A former friend of min...Not overcautious....smart. A former friend of mine went to jail a while ago for running dragnets for teen-agers. Nothing happened to any teens because his first meeting with an online teen was with the FBI instead.<BR/><BR/>It also goes to show that you never can tell. I'd known this guy for 12 years and never suspected. What's worse is his family defended him. "He didn't do anything wrong," they'd say. I say it's only because he got caught on his first foray.<BR/><BR/>We had given our 12-year-old boy a password and personal internet access. It wasn't long before I saw porn on his computer. Needless to say, internet access is supervised at my house too. My house, my computer, my rules.<BR/><BR/>It looks like you're doing everything right. Congrats.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132243854483011402005-11-17T11:10:00.000-05:002005-11-17T11:10:00.000-05:00May I weigh in on the snake issue?I've been the pr...May I weigh in on the snake issue?<BR/><BR/>I've been the proud owner of Scarlet, a Mexican Milk Snake, for nearly a year, and it's one of the easiest, cleanest pets I've ever owned. My son (who's 12) has a guinea pig, and she's infinitely more work than my snake. <BR/><BR/>Scarlet's quiet. She's happy to be held, and will snuggle against my neck or under my hair. She's a constrictor, so there's almost no danger of being bitten. She eats live food, which takes a little getting used to, but she only eats once every ten days (which means it costs around $4 per month to feed her!) I only have to clean out her home once a month, and even then, I usually use a straining spoon to fish out the bigger bits. <BR/><BR/>And the neat thing is that she's got as much personality as any mammal I've ever owned (more so than some!) She wasn't named for her color, but for her diva attitude! You haven't lived until you've met the Empress of Snakes! *grin*<BR/><BR/>MistyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132243221821309392005-11-17T11:00:00.000-05:002005-11-17T11:00:00.000-05:00I always worry that I'm overprotective. I mean, I'...I always worry that I'm overprotective. I mean, I'm the only parent who goes to the bus stop with my kids and waits there until the bus comes (they're 9 and 6)<BR/><BR/>I haven't started worrying about the internet yet. The kids don't go to chat or message boards or anything though. Not yet anyway. <BR/><BR/>I guess we just have to do what makes sense to us.Eolandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07184841063739371426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132242054814427372005-11-17T10:40:00.000-05:002005-11-17T10:40:00.000-05:00Luminessence wrote: The only advice I'll give is t...Luminessence wrote: <I>The only advice I'll give is to tell her everything you're doing (which it sounds like you already do). If she knows those are the rules, that's one thing; if you're reading her emails without her knowledge, that's quite another.</I><BR/><BR/>I'm going to second this opinion very strongly. I do not go sneaking around when I spot check; I do it with the kids sitting right there beside me so that they know what I'm doing and we can discuss anything that looks questionable. The kids are always aware that I can and will backtrack their activity on the internet, and they don't resent the fact that I do, because that's how we started out doing this from the first time they went on the web. <BR/><BR/>I'm also very selective about what I look at on their e-mail accounts, which is anything that looks wonky, like unsolicited e-mails, penis enhancement SPAM and so forth. My 13 year old and his girlfriend exchange e-mail that I never check, for example, because that's where I feel I would be crossing the line into violating his privacy. Before they started e-mailing each other, however, I talked to him about e-mail content -- I may not check his, but her parents may be checking hers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132240916571704642005-11-17T10:21:00.000-05:002005-11-17T10:21:00.000-05:00A snake and a bunny? Don't snakes eat bunnies? Tha...A snake <I>and</I> a bunny? Don't snakes <I>eat</I> bunnies? That could be a bad situation...<BR/><BR/>I'm torn on the Internet issue, probably because it was only a few years ago that I was a kid myself. On the one hand, I would have felt betrayed if I found out my parents were reading my emails and forum posts - I wasn't doing or saying anything bad, but what I wrote wasn't written with my parents in mind. On the other hand, it's undoubtedly important for you to watch out for her safety. Besides, I think when I was ten we had just gotten Internet, and we had (ugh) AOL, and my account had Child access, so I could only get into the kid section of AOL. I also never explored the websites outside of AOL at that point. I don't think I started seriously using the Internet until I was about thirteen.<BR/><BR/>So since I'm conflicted about the issue, I guess I'll leave it at "do what seems best to you." The only advice I'll give is to tell her everything you're doing (which it sounds like you already do). If she knows those are the rules, that's one thing; if you're reading her emails without her knowledge, that's quite another.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132240340539385062005-11-17T10:12:00.000-05:002005-11-17T10:12:00.000-05:00I was always accused of being too over-protective,...I was always accused of being too over-protective, but now that our kids are grown--and they have kids of their own--they've actually thanked us for being that way. I always remember what the HPD detective who headed the unit dealing with rape and child sexual abuse said at a MWA lunch. Based on what he'd seen, there was no way a parent can be too over-protective. The ones he ran into that weren't that way have regretted it every day of their lives.Joan Reeveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17622809465767116747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132239041454019402005-11-17T09:50:00.000-05:002005-11-17T09:50:00.000-05:00Parents who don't parent their kids on the interne...Parents who don't parent their kids on the internet are the ones who make it easy for the various creeps taking advantage of them. If more people were like you, our kids would be safer.<BR/><BR/>There's no reason to not have a controlled internet environment. Not only for the kid's sake, but for avoiding viruses and spyware. Kids don't realize how many sites out there are dangerous in that respect.<BR/><BR/>We have two computers and both are downstairs where they are always monitored. My husband is a programmer so he routinely checks sites visited and such.<BR/><BR/>Luckily, I don't have to worry as much. My daughter is too busy with the local friends and the friends back home.<BR/><BR/>I just have to deal with the real life stalkers in town!Diana Cacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03288437853191567861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-1132237004568764962005-11-17T09:16:00.000-05:002005-11-17T09:16:00.000-05:00It's a tricky one. The pervs spend all day, every ...It's a tricky one. The pervs spend all day, every day perfecting their technique. On the other hand, the real world is full of sociopaths anyway. Perhaps the internet is a safer place to learn that? I think you're right to keep the trainign wheels on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com