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Would you allow your 13 year old child on this forum?

Would you allow your child to read and post on debatepolitics.com?

  • Yes

    Votes: 34 52.3%
  • No

    Votes: 17 26.2%
  • Only if I supervised the participation

    Votes: 14 21.5%

  • Total voters
    65
All right. To be clear, would you then advocate greater restrictions on the computer usage of youth than on the computer usage of other persons?

I have already dealt with this. With under 13's it would depend on their age and ability. For 13 year olds I was quite clear that provided they knew how to keep themselves safe, I would not be troubled with them coming to this site. I cannot answer in respect of a mythical person because everyone is different but as far as my own daughter was concerned by 13 I would not have needed any restrictions.

If you would, would you also think it consistent to impose greater restrictions on the computer usage or net-related activities of women in regard to their susceptibility to violent crime committed by men? Would you repeat these same cautions to an older person, or do you approach with a perspective that adopts the assumption that youth are uniquely threatened or endangered by these alleged Internet predators?

N/A However you are missing out on an important point here. Parents have a responsibility to their children. Adults are responsible for themselves. If I found out that I had a child, god forbid, who was making slappy happy films and putting them on the net, you bet I would get interested in this and every area of their life that I had been hiding my eyes from


I of course don't live in the UK, but are you then claiming that youth ages 12 to 17 face a greater danger of physical violence from Internet predators than they do from family members in that country? Do you have statistical evidence to support that assertion?

From my own particular family members yes, and you made that personal to my own family.

I can tell you categorically that no one among the members of my family has been involved in physical violence against 12-17 year olds.
 
I have already dealt with this. With under 13's it would depend on their age and ability. For 13 year olds I was quite clear that provided they knew how to keep themselves safe, I would not be troubled with them coming to this site. I cannot answer in respect of a mythical person because everyone is different but as far as my own daughter was concerned by 13 I would not have needed any restrictions.

That's the point I've been attempting to make. Your post seemed to imply that you would favor such restrictions to avoid dangers from "pedophiles" on the Internet. If I was mistaken, you'll of course understand that I presumed that you viewed the presence of dangerous Internet predators as a justification for restricting Internet usage. I necessarily disagree with that stance on the grounds of the extreme statistical rarity of Internet predation against youth.

N/A However you are missing out on an important point here. Parents have a responsibility to their children. Adults are responsible for themselves. If I found out that I had a child, god forbid, who was making slappy happy films and putting them on the net, you bet I would get interested in this and every area of their life that I had been hiding my eyes from

But that presumes that youth dependence on parents is a natural condition, and though this is dubious in the later stages of biological adulthood, it's simply decidedly untrue during adolescence. To that end, I would also not have favored the practice of a working husband placing similar restrictions on a housewife if he'd adopted the antiquated notion of their inferiority and "childishness," since that is also not a natural condition of dependence.

From my own particular family members yes, and you made that personal to my own family.

I can tell you categorically that no one among the members of my family has been involved in physical violence against 12-17 year olds.

Not at all. My point was merely that family members in general were more likely to be involved in violent physical abuse of youth than Internet predators of some variety.
 
That's the point I've been attempting to make. Your post seemed to imply that you would favor such restrictions to avoid dangers from "pedophiles" on the Internet. If I was mistaken, you'll of course understand that I presumed that you viewed the presence of dangerous Internet predators as a justification for restricting Internet usage. I necessarily disagree with that stance on the grounds of the extreme statistical rarity of Internet predation against youth.

Then you misunderstood me. Here is part of that post.


So I would make sure she was crystal clear aware of dangers and then leave it up to her to make mistakes and then come to me to discuss them
.

What I'm saying is safety re such people as pedophiles is paramount but that can be secured by letting your child be very aware of what is going on. The rest is a life learning experience.

My position was that provided she knew how to keep herself safe, I would have had no problems with her having freedom of the net. As long as she knew how to keep herself safe, the rest is just a learning experience - this is also because I know she would have discussed anything she found troubling with me.

But that presumes that youth dependence on parents is a natural condition, and though this is dubious in the later stages of biological adulthood, it's simply decidedly untrue during adolescence. To that end, I would also not have favored the practice of a working husband placing similar restrictions on a housewife if he'd adopted the antiquated notion of their inferiority and "childishness," since that is also not a natural condition of dependence.

Well as I said, that would not have been a problem for me but parents do have a responsibility to bring up their children as they see fit. I doubt you could do much hiding on the net for 13 year olds anyway.

To give an example of parental responsibility. My daughter had got herself an HND in dance and was offered a place for one year to convert that into a degree - the first time the college had ever allowed anyone to do this in just one year. Her boyfriend however did not want her to do this because he was terrified she would meet someone new and leave him. I was adamant in my belief that what she should do was the degree. It is probably the only time I have held firm to my belief rather than just leaving it as an open decision for her - though of course it was her decision.

She is now very happy she did this as she has work she would not otherwise have got. That is parental responsibility. Speaking out on what you believe is best for your children. Some parents may think differently to myself and I may even believe they are wrong but they are doing what they believe is best for their children. Once a youth becomes independent they are responsible for themselves.

Not at all. My point was merely that family members in general were more likely to be involved in violent physical abuse of youth than Internet predators of some variety.

You made it personal to my own family

Then have you provided similar information of the statistically greater dangers that your immediate and extended family pose than people on the Internet?
 
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Would you allow your 13 year old child to read and post on this forum?

I joined when I was 13. This was my first mainly-adult forum site.

I think I've been scarred for life...

But on the other hand, I'm far better-informed than I was, and this is one of the better places on the internet to get a sense of the modern conservative viewpoint, as well as a source for interesting news you don't tend to see in the papers or on Yahoo.

If my future 13-year-old shares my curiosity, political interest and, for lack of a less narcissistic-sounding word, intelligence, I'd have no issue at all with them joining. If they were less sensible and more impressionable, I'd probably keep them away until I was convinced they could visit without getting sucked in by the 9/11 Truthers or blindly following the twisted envoronmental, social and financial arguments of certain posters.
 
I've spent a lot of time around my daughter and her friends. I would argue that there is a certain percentage of teenagers, especially amongst the gifted population, where this is the norm. These kids are eerily intelligent and mature.

The gifted are, by definition, not the norm. They are so called because they are far above average.


This idea that teenagers are less capable of dealing with adult matters does not match my experiences with teens. In fact, more often than we would like to contemplate, teens deal with adult subjects that many of us refuse to contemplate: substance addicted parents, raising siblings, working to support the family. When you look specifically at inner city areas where crime is rampant, teen involvement in adult matters is even greater.

It largely depends on the teenager. My daughter unfortunately watched the dissolution of my marriage, and has subsequently had to cut off most contact with her father because he emotionally abused her (frequent references to her being fat, ugly, stupid, and iodiotic...she is none of those things). Let me tell you...her life experiences have made her far more mature than her father.

You are talking, in this case, about teens who have had experience that is at least somewhat outside the norm... which I consider to prove my point about experience.



The concept of wisdom versus intelligence is a false one.

You're trying to characterize something that is a subjective idea in concrete terms. Some people are very intelligent, have had lots of experience, and still haven't learned from them. They lack common sense, something my daughter has in spades, and something that is also subjective and impossible to quantify. There are multiple types of intelligence

Semantics. I wasn't attempting to postulate a whole and complete theory of intelligence, experience and wisdom or common sense as a doctoral thesis; I was simply explaining and illustrating that experience does make a difference.

Yes, there are people who are "intelligent" in a narrow, specialized manner ("book smart" as we say in Dixie) who have no common sense (also called wisdom, depending on how you want to define things.) I was referring to intelligence in the broader sense, of people who are capable of realizing cause and effect, analyzing their experiences and extracting the lessons or causal elements, etc.

Yes, everyone is an individual, and age is only one factor. However if you look at the median line of humanity, rather than the extremes of the gifted and the impaired, I think that wisdom is largely a function of age and experience, partly dependent on the person's intellectual ability to analyze and learn from their experiences.

G.
 
YES! a group of 13 year old brats could kick it up a notch 'round here!
 
I'm 14, so It would be odd if I had a 13 year old child.
 
Crazy. Don't you have 13-year-old girls to chase or something?

(kidding)

Welcome!
 
I would like to have him in High School before he posted here.

Before High School, you really don't have any true understanding of the world, and High School is marginally better. But of course, trial by fire :).
 
I would, but i would keep an eye on him so that he acted in a good and respectful way. I know that I could get very angry on the internet when I was 13, and I'm expecting a child of mine would do the same.
 
I joined when I was 13. This was my first mainly-adult forum site.

I think I've been scarred for life...

But on the other hand, I'm far better-informed than I was, and this is one of the better places on the internet to get a sense of the modern conservative viewpoint, as well as a source for interesting news you don't tend to see in the papers or on Yahoo.

If my future 13-year-old shares my curiosity, political interest and, for lack of a less narcissistic-sounding word, intelligence, I'd have no issue at all with them joining. If they were less sensible and more impressionable, I'd probably keep them away until I was convinced they could visit without getting sucked in by the 9/11 Truthers or blindly following the twisted envoronmental, social and financial arguments of certain posters.


Yes I know what you mean. I like to be inform as well but this is not modern conservative viewpoint you always get. I learn much about political interest and this give me knowledge of the issues. Sometime when I disagree with viewpoint I do not know how to respond to this. I must learn how to do this thing, I hope. You can not get in a fight here in the internet, at least not physical one. ;)
 
ooops! I meant to say yes:3oops:
 
ooops! I meant to say yes:3oops:

It's fine, no one really looks at the results anyway. All they see is the big amount saying "yes" and the small amount saying "no." It's all good.
 
Would you allow your 13 year old child to read and post on this forum?



It would depend on birth order.



First kid never gets away with as much as the last kid. Parents get worn down. I know. I'm the baby. :mrgreen:
 
No!! Not even if you paid me!
 
I voted no, but not just because it's this forum. A debate forum isn't the ideal environment for a 13 yr. old to learn about politics. There is just as much inaccurate information on these boards as there is accurate information. At 13 I don't feel that they are entirely capable of distinguishing between the two without having a few years experience of monitoring political issues.

In the case of this forum in particular, if they had access to the posts in the basement I'd definately be against it. :lol:

I'd say 16 would would be a more appropriate age for this level of discussion/debate.
 
I would let my child for the reason of below

* Let's them debate and learn to back up what they say with facts.

* Plus It is not like it is bad for a child to talk or socialize.

* Learn to comprehend the government and understand how things work.
 
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