-- Posted by carbonara at 7:09 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Because of your experiences with the Internet how lenient are going to be with your own children with the Internet? What age would you let your children have their own computer in their bedrooms where you could no longer supervise what sites they see etc? -- Posted by Spice at 7:12 am on Aug. 27, 2008 About 15, when studies of GCSEs start. I'd make it clear it's primarily a study tool. If they wanna watch porn/go on LW [or equivalent]/webcam with idiots. Then they can. But if studies slip they'd lose privileges that come with it. That's if I can afford it, otherwise they'd have to stick to the family computer. -- Posted by robdude at 7:12 am on Aug. 27, 2008 15, after seeing all the porn -- Posted by Troll1000 at 7:12 am on Aug. 27, 2008 I was 16, I think that is a good age because when you get to 16 then you can feel like you are trusted more as an adult -- Posted by Skip at 7:12 am on Aug. 27, 2008 around 15 or 16 years, or even 17 -- Posted by marshmellowman at 7:13 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Probably about 14/15. I'm a very techy person so it's probably lower for me than others. I'll make sure to discipline them if they're not performing well at school though, my wife will probably have some input too. -- Posted by jamesshadowwolf at 7:16 am on Aug. 27, 2008 id say 13... becuase well.... i didnt really like ppl watching my conversations at that age... why should they? -- Posted by shutter bugs at 7:20 am on Aug. 27, 2008 depends on my child's mentality. if they are mature and responsible enough to know how to behave on certain sites and know what boundaries can't be crossed then when that happens I will probably teach them more about internet safety and let them have msn or whatever. having said that 16/17 seems a good age. -- Posted by audrey820 at 7:21 am on Aug. 27, 2008 When he or she starts high school. That's when I see the need for more privacy. -- Posted by aGIRLunknown at 7:25 am on Aug. 27, 2008 17 and up...... Other then that it will be in the living room... I would have the password for their e-mail and password for their myspace, facebook w/e I need to find out.. -- Posted by Tavis at 7:25 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Well, they'll have access to a computer in a designated room at 13, and at 15 or 16, have one in their own room. -- Posted by Spice at 7:26 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from aGIRLunknown at 3:25 pm on Aug. 27, 2008 17 and up...... Other then that it will be in the living room... I would have the password for their e-mail and password for their myspace, facebook w/e I need to find out.. WHOAH, are your kids not allowed privacy! -- Posted by the raven at 7:27 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Probably like 14, only if they do my biddings though. They have to earn that right. -- Posted by koko at 7:29 am on Aug. 27, 2008 I'd say 13 would be fine. I'll trust my kids. -- Posted by Skip at 7:29 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from UnusualOne at 10:26 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from aGIRLunknown at 3:25 pm on Aug. 27, 2008 17 and up...... Other then that it will be in the living room... I would have the password for their e-mail and password for their myspace, facebook w/e I need to find out.. WHOAH, are your kids not allowed privacy! what a bad parent -- Posted by koko at 7:29 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from aGIRLunknown at 1:25 am on Aug. 28, 2008 17 and up...... Other then that it will be in the living room... I would have the password for their e-mail and password for their myspace, facebook w/e I need to find out.. Harsh. Are your parents like that with you?? -- Posted by the raven at 7:31 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from koko at 10:29 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from aGIRLunknown at 1:25 am on Aug. 28, 2008 17 and up...... Other then that it will be in the living room... I would have the password for their e-mail and password for their myspace, facebook w/e I need to find out.. Harsh. Are your parents like that with you?? The next generation is only going to get worse. Don't jump on her. -- Posted by vicky91 at 7:32 am on Aug. 27, 2008 once theyve left school i dont mind its up to them -- Posted by Glow Worm at 7:36 am on Aug. 27, 2008 They can have their own computer in their own room when they can afford their own computer and their own room. My mother has always been involved with what I do online. No, she doesn't have all my passwords or anything, but she knows about my online friends and I let her know if I'm going to give my email address out or phone number away. Do I do awful naughty things online and need supervision? No. Could I be responsible about a computer in my own room? Yes. But if I'm not doing anything that they shouldn't see, why do I need the privacy? We have two laptops in case homework conflicts with the T.V. or something, but that's about it. My parents don't stand over my shoulder, but I don't see why I would need to do my business behind a closed door. -- Posted by BeautifulLies82 at 7:38 am on Aug. 27, 2008 I would let them use a computer freely in a public space starting at 13, then maybe 16 let them have their own. -- Posted by marshmellowman at 7:39 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from Glow Worm at 3:36 pm on Aug. 27, 2008 They can have their own computer in their own room when they can afford their own computer and their own room. My mother has always been involved with what I do online. No, she doesn't have all my passwords or anything, but she knows about my online friends and I let her know if I'm going to give my email address out or phone number away. Do I do awful naughty things online and need supervision? No. Could I be responsible about a computer in my own room? Yes. But if I'm not doing anything that they shouldn't see, why do I need the privacy? We have two laptops in case homework conflicts with the T.V. or something, but that's about it. My parents don't stand over my shoulder, but I don't see why I would need to do my business behind a closed door. Wow, so you really have no privacy then? It seems rough telling your parents when you're giving out you're email? Why do they really need to know? Honestly. That's like saying all the cameras on the streets are fine because you shouldn't be doing anything wrong anyway. -- Posted by bg kNIFE at 7:41 am on Aug. 27, 2008 I started at 11, so I think it would be a good start. -- Posted by Glow Worm at 7:47 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 10:39 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from Glow Worm at 3:36 pm on Aug. 27, 2008 They can have their own computer in their own room when they can afford their own computer and their own room.    My mother has always been involved with what I do online. No, she doesn't have all my passwords or anything, but she knows about my online friends and I let her know if I'm going to give my email address out or phone number away. Do I do awful naughty things online and need supervision? No. Could I be responsible about a computer in my own room? Yes. But if I'm not doing anything that they shouldn't see, why do I need the privacy? We have two laptops in case homework conflicts with the T.V. or something, but that's about it. My parents don't stand over my shoulder, but I don't see why I would need to do my business behind a closed door. Wow, so you really have no privacy then? It seems rough telling your parents when you're giving out you're email? Why do they really need to know? Honestly. That's like saying all the cameras on the streets are fine because you shouldn't be doing anything wrong anyway. How is it rough? "Hey mum, you know Armel? The french guy from the U of W. Yeah, we just exchanged numbers. No, I don't want any salad, thanks".   It's just a regular conversation. They don't really need to know, but on the off chance that I'm ever going to meet the people, it puts me in a good place. I've had people from the internet sleep at my house because my parents were informed from the beginning and trusted my judgement. I don't know about you, but saying two sentences to the woman who's raised me for the past 17 years has never seemed like a burden. -- Posted by marshmellowman at 7:53 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from Glow Worm at 3:47 pm on Aug. 27, 2008 How is it rough?   "Hey mum, you know Armel? The french guy from the U of W. Yeah, we just exchanged numbers. No, I don't want any salad, thanks". It's just a regular conversation. They don't really need to know, but on the off chance that I'm ever going to meet the people, it puts me in a good place. I've had people from the internet sleep at my house because my parents were informed from the beginning and trusted my judgement.   I don't know about you, but saying two sentences to the woman who's raised me for the past 17 years has never seemed like a burden. It's just the idea, the principle. I'm a huge privacy nut, and whilst I don't hide everything from my parents, I don't go out of my way to explicitly tell them all these online things. They respect that I have my freedoms and if something like that ever needs to involve them then I'll tell them about it. Like they might have seen me on LiveWire but I didn't tell them, oh look I made an account on this teen site, yah? -- Posted by Alabamarama at 7:55 am on Aug. 27, 2008 I've had a laptop since I was 12 and had been using my dad's laptop since 10. I've never done anything that would really violate my parents' trust or constitute taking my computer away, so if I can trust my kid to do the same then I wouldn't mind giving it a try around 12-14. If I've got a problem child or a preteen parent hater, on the other hand, I'll give it to him/her when s/he shows me that they're mature enough to handle one. -- Posted by Glow Worm at 8:06 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 10:53 am on Aug. 27, 2008  It's just the idea, the principle. I'm a huge privacy nut, and whilst I don't hide everything from my parents, I don't go out of my way to explicitly tell them all these online things. They respect that I have my freedoms and if something like that ever needs to involve them then I'll tell them about it. Like they might have seen me on LiveWire but I didn't tell them, oh look I made an account on this teen site, yah? Well with the amount of time I spend online, I'd never see my family if I had a computer in my room. And I don't mention every single person I've ever added anywhere, usually just the ones they're likely to hear about. It just helps them feel like they've still got some amount of control over my life at a time when they know I deserve more and more freedoms. It's a comfort thing, more than anything. -- Posted by dunebug at 8:26 am on Aug. 27, 2008 Honestly, I don't agree with the computer in the bedroom. It has little to do with porn, that's some of the least of my worries, but a generalized "internet/computer addiction." If he wants a computer in his room, he can save up and buy one. If I've bought the computer, it stays in a public area until he's at least 17 or so, so he can't stay up until 2 or 3 am on school nights playing Counter Strike or World of Warcraft. -- Posted by Mattie17 at 9:40 am on Aug. 27, 2008 16