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annie2
Deinonychus
Joined: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 314
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 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:52 am Post subject: Is WP safe for kids? |
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| Hi. Is WP safe for kids to use without too much parental supervision, or do those of you who let your kids on it keep a fairly close eye on what they're doing? Do you put boundaries on which discussion forums they can enter? And with the kids discussion, is it mainly fairly positive or can it degenerate into "mindless drivel"? What age would you let your child start using it? (Sorry about all the questions!) |
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lovebat
Pileated woodpecker
Joined: Jan 20, 2008
Age: 19
Posts: 196
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:25 am Post subject: |
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Well, the adult forum can get sorta racy at times (not that its anything that would scar your child if they stumbled upon it), but other than that it seems safe to me. Of course, my parents never really worried too much about the movies I watched or games that I played when I was growing up, so I am pretty loose with that kind of thing. I wish I had access to something like this site when I was younger, though.
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So I got in a fight with a rabbi the other day. I lost. I don't think it was fair though, because he knew JEW-Jitsu.
terrible. |
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Smelena
Cure Neurotypicals Now!
Joined: Apr 02, 2007
Posts: 2136
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:33 am Post subject: |
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My 9 and 8 year old sons are members of WP.
I supervised them closely initially. Hoewver they know the rules about not giving out personal details eg Date of birth, address etc. They often send PM's to other members scolding them for giving out private information. 
Now I let them go for it! We did move our computer out into the lounge room so I can see the computer from the kitchen.
I do check what they're posting and where: all you do is go to member profile and click on 'view all posts'.
Helen
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To see my family and my advocacy efforts: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=JR03uSFQf6Y and http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ZBxFYFvuA |
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schleppenheimer
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 953
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:08 am Post subject: |
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| The one thing that I wouldn't feel comfortable about having my child on WP is the fact that there is often discussion of suicidal feelings and depression. That's an understandable concept for adults to discuss on this forum, but I would rather not have my son read about those things at a young age. |
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Quatermass
Yahtzee's Protege
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 16829
Location: Somewhere with a sweet hat and a chip on my shoulder
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:14 am Post subject: |
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The moderators try to keep things at a fairly safe level. That said, there are some threads in some areas you should encourage your children to stay out of. Not only that, but do not let them be involved in any threads that ask for the divulging of personal information.
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At moments when monsters spawn in by rising up from the ground, it turns the action into a gory, protracted session of Whack-A-Mole.
-Yahtzee on Clive Barker's Jericho |
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Smelena
Cure Neurotypicals Now!
Joined: Apr 02, 2007
Posts: 2136
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:33 am Post subject: |
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| schleppenheimer wrote: | | The one thing that I wouldn't feel comfortable about having my child on WP is the fact that there is often discussion of suicidal feelings and depression. That's an understandable concept for adults to discuss on this forum, but I would rather not have my son read about those things at a young age. |
My sons don't bother with the Adult Forum (they can't get in) or The Haven.
They love the Kids' Crater and Random Discussion.
My 9 year old has posted heaps more than my 7 year old. My 9 year old is AussieBoy and my 7 year old is UbbyUbbyUbby .... you can click on their profiles and read their posts if you want to get an idea of what sort of things the kids look at.
Another really cool kid is Eddiedog8 (I think that's how you spell his name). He just turned 9. Again, look on his posts if you want to get an idea.
The kids all play with others on WP - other kids and adults.
For my sons posting on WrongPlanet has been incredibly positive. They feel part of a huge community and many older members of mentored them.
Helen
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To see my family and my advocacy efforts: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=JR03uSFQf6Y and http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ZBxFYFvuA |
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Riddick124
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 04, 2008
Posts: 693
Location: Upstate New York
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:11 am Post subject: |
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How old are your children, if you don't mind me asking? I joined when I was 14, about to turn 15, and it has helped me understand Asperger's a lot better, but the others are right, The Haven is probably not for anyone younger than 12 or 13, at least.
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I'm not like other people. I can't stand pain, it hurts me!
-Daffy Duck |
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Vexcalibur
Phoenix
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Posts: 617
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:23 am Post subject: |
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| lovebat wrote: | | Well, the adult forum can get sorta racy at times (not that its anything that would scar your child if they stumbled upon it), but other than that it seems safe to me. Of course, my parents never really worried too much about the movies I watched or games that I played when I was growing up, so I am pretty loose with that kind of thing. I wish I had access to something like this site when I was younger, though. |
I thought that forum wouldn't allow access to kids. |
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katrine
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 24, 2006
Posts: 550
Location: Copenhagen
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:48 am Post subject: |
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My son just joined (Nelius). He's 9, and so far it's just kids crater with language support from me, as English isn't his first language. This means I know exactly what he is doing!
I also hope posting will really kick start his written English.
We have never made his autism a secret, but it is just recently he has really started thinking about it. I though WP would be a very positive place to start out - "there are 18 000 other people like me!" He also thinks Alex is pretty cool!
He was thrilled to find 5 pages on pokemon straight off. So far what he is doing is pretty mindless, but hugely entertaining to him. |
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alex
Developer
Joined: Jun 14, 2004
Age: 22
Posts: 6292
Location: DC Metro Area (No. VA)
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:14 am Post subject: |
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| Vexcalibur wrote: | | lovebat wrote: | | Well, the adult forum can get sorta racy at times (not that its anything that would scar your child if they stumbled upon it), but other than that it seems safe to me. Of course, my parents never really worried too much about the movies I watched or games that I played when I was growing up, so I am pretty loose with that kind of thing. I wish I had access to something like this site when I was younger, though. |
I thought that forum wouldn't allow access to kids. |
it doesn't allow access to kids. |
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sodarktheshadows
Velociraptor
Joined: Nov 06, 2007
Posts: 416
Location: Toronto, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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| schleppenheimer wrote: | | The one thing that I wouldn't feel comfortable about having my child on WP is the fact that there is often discussion of suicidal feelings and depression. That's an understandable concept for adults to discuss on this forum, but I would rather not have my son read about those things at a young age. |
you do understand that a lot of children experience suicidal thoughts at very young ages as well as adults? i know i did as a child, and i just found out that my friend's daughter at the age of 7 has been talking about it. it is not something that you never want to discuss nor is it something you want to ignore or dismiss if a child needs to talk about it.
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friends are like balloons...once you let them go, you can't get them back.
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To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world. |
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DW_a_mom
Phoenix
Joined: Feb 23, 2008
Posts: 1044
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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My son hasn't shown any interest in joining, but I wouldn't object. I think at his age monitoring ALL internet usage is important, I don't care how safe it seems, I want a general sense of where he is going, what he is saying, what he is reading, and what he is doing. So far, he hasn't ventured anywhere that worries me, and I mostly have the privilege of staying out of it. But he knows that out of concern for his safety, he doesn't do anything "private" on the internet, and he is TOTALLY ok with that, at his current age, anyway, lol.
I can't imagine prohibiting too much, as long as I know what he is coming accross. Children are going to run into all sorts of things in their young lives that we would prefer they didn't. I feel it is important to use it all as teaching moments.
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Avatar copyright DW's Studio |
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NewportBeachDude
Deinonychus
Joined: Dec 25, 2007
Posts: 355
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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Overall, I think WP is a good site for older teens and above. And, it's good there are a wide range of topics. But, I'm an adult and even some subject matters on WP have bothered me, so I have to screen and read subject lines carefully to make sure I'm not clicking on something I don't want to. There are boards here that I feel are not my cup of tea and and I don't read them. However, on the general/open topic boards, I get concerned about threads regarding murder, suicide, drugs...that sort of thing
So, I'd be concerned with a kid or youth on here without supervision. |
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NewportBeachDude
Deinonychus
Joined: Dec 25, 2007
Posts: 355
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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| alex wrote: | | Vexcalibur wrote: | | lovebat wrote: | | Well, the adult forum can get sorta racy at times (not that its anything that would scar your child if they stumbled upon it), but other than that it seems safe to me. Of course, my parents never really worried too much about the movies I watched or games that I played when I was growing up, so I am pretty loose with that kind of thing. I wish I had access to something like this site when I was younger, though. |
I thought that forum wouldn't allow access to kids. |
it doesn't allow access to kids. |
Oh. See, I didn't know that. That's fine, then. |
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annie2
Deinonychus
Joined: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 314
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Riddick124 wrote: | | How old are your children, if you don't mind me asking? |
AS son is almost 8. From reading the above comments I think I might keep WP up my sleeve for when he is a bit older. Maybe when/if he reaches a stage that he is upset that he finds it difficult to make friends, then it would possibly be a good thing to then introduce him to a "world of friends" here. |
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