Comments on: Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/ online mother Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:38:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Shannon http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/comment-page-1/#comment-2059 Shannon Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:51:38 +0000 http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/#comment-2059 Marie, I don't know if blogs on different platforms are searched by google in different ways, but I've been surprised by how random people have gotten to my blog by searching for really bizarre and varied terms. Not a dangerous example, but someone searched for "applesauce allergy" and got to one of my posts. of course you're right that the majority of kids are pretty good-intentioned and smart. i was really shocked by the one bad blog i saw by a 13 year old girl. i don't think i'm very sheltered nowadays, but it was really disturbing, and from a "nice" girl. but in this case, i don't think the blog is to blame, it's her lifestyle and her family environment that are the problem. the blog is a symptom or a manifestation of her other problems, and if i were her mom, i'd be happy to see it, if only so i'd know how serious the problems are. better to know what's going on in their lives, huh? Marie,

I don’t know if blogs on different platforms are searched by google in different ways, but I’ve been surprised by how random people have gotten to my blog by searching for really bizarre and varied terms. Not a dangerous example, but someone searched for “applesauce allergy” and got to one of my posts.

of course you’re right that the majority of kids are pretty good-intentioned and smart. i was really shocked by the one bad blog i saw by a 13 year old girl. i don’t think i’m very sheltered nowadays, but it was really disturbing, and from a “nice” girl. but in this case, i don’t think the blog is to blame, it’s her lifestyle and her family environment that are the problem. the blog is a symptom or a manifestation of her other problems, and if i were her mom, i’d be happy to see it, if only so i’d know how serious the problems are. better to know what’s going on in their lives, huh?

]]> By: Marie http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/comment-page-1/#comment-1869 Marie Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:29:57 +0000 http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/#comment-1869 I agree, 100%. I have to say though, that the majority, the vast majority, of kids out there are not the sort to post provocative pictures of themselves. Also, blogs are not like myspace, where anyone can search for and attempt to befriend (or take advantage of) anyone. Unless a teen put her blog in a "Naughty Teen Blog" directory, the only people likely to read it would be her friends and family. I agree, 100%. I have to say though, that the majority, the vast majority, of kids out there are not the sort to post provocative pictures of themselves. Also, blogs are not like myspace, where anyone can search for and attempt to befriend (or take advantage of) anyone. Unless a teen put her blog in a “Naughty Teen Blog” directory, the only people likely to read it would be her friends and family.

]]> By: Hannah http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/comment-page-1/#comment-1868 Hannah Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:20:44 +0000 http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/#comment-1868 I have a story that relates to this discussion that I want to throw out there; tell me what you think about it. Brad and I have never had a TV, we just never wanted one. We have been debating whether we will ever get one. I once thought that it would be great to never have a TV, then I wouldn't have to monitor what my kids are watching and I would know that they were doing more creative things and so on. Then I heard that some families don't allow face cards in the home. I had grown up with face cards and I couldn't see what was wrong with them. So I though to myself, why don't they just teach their kids what games they can and cannot play and them let them make their own choices. It suddenly struck me that the same thing goes with the TV. We couldn't I just teach my kid what they can and cannot watch and them let them choose and of course monitor just the same. Plus, I thought, they are going to get exposed to TV at their friends' homes and they better be prepared to make decisions then about what to watch. So I guess I decided that I shouldn't withhold things from my children but rather teach them how to use things wisely and carefully. I need to prepare my kids for the real world, I guess, and not protect them from it. Of course there are exceptions, kids are kids after all and parents are supposed to protect them. I'm not going to let my kids play in the street so they will learn to watch for cars, or let them chat online with strangers and such. So I guess I would probably let me kids have a blog but monitor. It means more work for a parent, more things to filter, but hopefully they are learning to make correct decisions for themselves. I have a story that relates to this discussion that I want to throw out there; tell me what you think about it. Brad and I have never had a TV, we just never wanted one. We have been debating whether we will ever get one. I once thought that it would be great to never have a TV, then I wouldn’t have to monitor what my kids are watching and I would know that they were doing more creative things and so on. Then I heard that some families don’t allow face cards in the home. I had grown up with face cards and I couldn’t see what was wrong with them. So I though to myself, why don’t they just teach their kids what games they can and cannot play and them let them make their own choices. It suddenly struck me that the same thing goes with the TV. We couldn’t I just teach my kid what they can and cannot watch and them let them choose and of course monitor just the same. Plus, I thought, they are going to get exposed to TV at their friends’ homes and they better be prepared to make decisions then about what to watch. So I guess I decided that I shouldn’t withhold things from my children but rather teach them how to use things wisely and carefully. I need to prepare my kids for the real world, I guess, and not protect them from it. Of course there are exceptions, kids are kids after all and parents are supposed to protect them. I’m not going to let my kids play in the street so they will learn to watch for cars, or let them chat online with strangers and such. So I guess I would probably let me kids have a blog but monitor. It means more work for a parent, more things to filter, but hopefully they are learning to make correct decisions for themselves.

]]> By: tarable http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/comment-page-1/#comment-1865 tarable Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:23:08 +0000 http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/#comment-1865 If I didn't think I could control their actions on their blog I might just say no to the whole thing. It all depends on the kid and their age. But if they're rebellious, disrespectful, etc. I might ban blogging just like I might ban any other priveledges. Or say no to a party that I know would have sex/drugs/alcohol or worse. Or say no to friends who are bad influences. Don't you ever watch Law & Order anymore, Shannon? It's full of stories (sensationalized, true) of kids who are doing so much more online than their parents know, understand, or give permission for. Obviously this is older kids - but teenagers are smart. They can keep secrets really well and can block out parents, download whatever they want, and talk to anyone online. I think this is going to be a really hard area for a lot of parents in the latter days. Things are so different now. Almost every high school kid and most in Jr. high have their own cell phones. And do you know how many text messages they send/receive in a day? Staggering. And how many parents do you think check every one of the texts to better know and understand their kid? And unfortunately not all kids are using their blogs to post hopes and dreams - let alone a daily scripture or their testimonies. I think parents need to stay on top of technology and keep up with their kids so they can monitor things while still giving their kids some freedom. Even then it's really hard. I think for those of us who have little boys now - I worry so much about pornography on the internet. I don't want to take away all the choices for my boys - but if I just got rid of all household computers when Alden hits puberty it would solve that issue at home, right? I wish. Ahhh, the whole agency thing is very hard for me sometimes - but as a parent I have to make the best choices I can to protect my kids. And I can't in good conscience judge another parent for doing the same thing. If I didn’t think I could control their actions on their blog I might just say no to the whole thing. It all depends on the kid and their age. But if they’re rebellious, disrespectful, etc. I might ban blogging just like I might ban any other priveledges. Or say no to a party that I know would have sex/drugs/alcohol or worse. Or say no to friends who are bad influences. Don’t you ever watch Law & Order anymore, Shannon? It’s full of stories (sensationalized, true) of kids who are doing so much more online than their parents know, understand, or give permission for. Obviously this is older kids – but teenagers are smart. They can keep secrets really well and can block out parents, download whatever they want, and talk to anyone online. I think this is going to be a really hard area for a lot of parents in the latter days. Things are so different now. Almost every high school kid and most in Jr. high have their own cell phones. And do you know how many text messages they send/receive in a day? Staggering. And how many parents do you think check every one of the texts to better know and understand their kid? And unfortunately not all kids are using their blogs to post hopes and dreams – let alone a daily scripture or their testimonies. I think parents need to stay on top of technology and keep up with their kids so they can monitor things while still giving their kids some freedom. Even then it’s really hard. I think for those of us who have little boys now – I worry so much about pornography on the internet. I don’t want to take away all the choices for my boys – but if I just got rid of all household computers when Alden hits puberty it would solve that issue at home, right? I wish. Ahhh, the whole agency thing is very hard for me sometimes – but as a parent I have to make the best choices I can to protect my kids. And I can’t in good conscience judge another parent for doing the same thing.

]]> By: Adrianne http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/comment-page-1/#comment-1864 Adrianne Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:18:04 +0000 http://www.seagullfountain.com/2007/10/29/dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria/#comment-1864 I actually had the same thoughts Tara did when I read your post. I totally agree with you that fear of technology or a lack of knowledge of technology is a stupid reason for not allowing your child to have a blog. Like Tara said though, kids now days are way more advanced than a lot of parents when it comes to the computer and therefore, I think if you are going to let your child be on it, you need to know something about the computer so you can check what they are doing. If all parents were as good as you plan on being with Avery if she has a blog, then I think it would be great for all kids to have blogs. I actually had the same thoughts Tara did when I read your post. I totally agree with you that fear of technology or a lack of knowledge of technology is a stupid reason for not allowing your child to have a blog. Like Tara said though, kids now days are way more advanced than a lot of parents when it comes to the computer and therefore, I think if you are going to let your child be on it, you need to know something about the computer so you can check what they are doing. If all parents were as good as you plan on being with Avery if she has a blog, then I think it would be great for all kids to have blogs.

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