What do you feel okay with certain technologies for your children?

I disagree to a small point normally what children see they do so the same goes for children in other families. So normally little kids don't mean to do or teach your kids certain things because they think its okay. That is why when you are a parent you teach your child what you in your heart feel is right or wrong. I know when my kids are ready for what ever techology that over the years before they have them that we plan as our children's parents what is okay and what isn't okay. Of course when they do get them its watched carefully like they won't have a computer in there room till we both feel our daughter can handle having in her own room and making good responsible choices about what is good and bad behavior when using the computer till then its always in the same room where adult eyes can see them. We always make sure to tell whomever is watching our child what they can and can't do and what they can and can't watch and for whole long they have a right to certain things. Because having a cell phone, a computer and ipod or what ever it'll be when they are old enough to have one its a right to have and it can be easily taken away as it was given to them. I can't help who my children do and don't not hand out with. Its there choice who their friends are and for them to make that choice if they are good or bad person. My parents never told me who I couldn't and could hang out with. They left that to me and my brothers and we all did a good job knowing who was right for us. Its part of your children growing up making the choices because when they are out in the real world they will still do the same making those choices that you can't make for them. But hope what you did teach them went to good use and they will make the right choice and if not they learn from it.

You did not get my point. You see, some families are dysfunctional for which the kids in them have more freedom to do whatever they want. They create peer pressure for others by using the concept "manipulating technology for person gain is cool". As long as you stay friends with your kids you keep control over them. Thus, you can teach them good and bad better while they communicate with you what their friends think of certain technology. In a way, this creates freedom of communication in your family for which your kids cannot get influenced by others. I was born in the 80s. It was the time when technology started to become available in all homes, but my parents did not make it open for me and my sisters. So we did not understand many things (thank god). However, it was not the same for everyone. Those who came from dysfunctional families had full freedom to use it all. For instance, one of my ex's had access to adult content. He even told me that he gave oral to a girl when they were only in 3rd grade. Why it happened? Because they were corrupt. Obviously, he went around talking about this to other kids because he thought that it was "a daring and cool thin he did". His family did not teach him what was right and wrong. Now this same guy went around creating pressure on his other friends to try out something like that. When I was in high school one girl told me that when she was still in 5th grade her parents gave her VCR on her birthday so she could watch movies anytime she liked. One day when they were not at home she invited some of her friends to watch XXX movie in her room. She got hold of the tape through a friend. She was curious about adult content and wanted to see it. Her friends did not have VCR in their rooms though for which they did not reject her invitation. Lots of conversations take among kids. Adults never come to know about them without the open communication. Making them stay away from technology at home does not make much difference because their friends do have it in their own room. That is why, I said parents should have control over with who their kids mingle.

I was born in the 80's to and raised in the 90's. My parents let us be friends with whomever we wanted. We made the right choice for us not our parents. Yeah our parents controlled what happened in the house out side they can't. I had friends that got everything they wanted that didn't make me a bad person. Its a personal choice. We had freedom in our house to watch what we wanted to watch go to bed when we wanted to go to bed. We learned on our own on our own what worked for us. A child isn't dysfunctional if they don't have bounders they just have bad parents. They are still good they are still a child they don't know any difference then what they live in. Money do money see that is what children base the world around is what they see and what they are able to do at home. You can have communicate with a child all you want you can raise the best way a parent can and not give everything they want and still they can turn out to be the bad person. Its not always about who a person is raised or how they live. Its a personal choice of do I want to be like this or do I want to be like that. I never made my friends watch anything they weren't allowed to watch. We never did things that our parents wouldn't be okay with. We knew each others bounders and respect that. My brothers hang out in the wrong group of people and they made there mistakes but you know they learned from it. Like kids should. When you have kids you'll learn you can't control who your kids are with or who they see or who they talk to. You do that your going to make them want it even more. You telling a kid you can't have this or be with this person it makes them want even more and they will do what ever it takes to get what they want. If my kids wanted to hang out with kids that I didn't like I"m okay with that because one I know if I try to keep my kids from them they will fight me and they will find away to be with those kids and its going to hurt me and my husband even more to watch them do what ever it takes to get to the one thing that bugs both. I never begged for anything I had as a kid. I didn't always get what I wanted its was easy as my parents say I"m sorry we can't afford it or your not old enough yet and when your this old we can re look at if you can have this now. My brothers never had a cell phone in high school. I got one in High school in 2003, got a dvd and tv when I was 16 which was 2004 with a lab top not all at the same time. We had a family computer since I was like 3 years old and it was those old green one that was really slow. My friends didn't have all those things at the same age as I was which was fine and some of my friends had more then me and got all the newest things out there. I didn't get and iPod till I almost graduated high school in 2007. My brother bought our first DVD play ever when I was 12 years old as a Christmas present for our whole family. When my brothers where the same age as me there where doing things that I didn't do till I was 21. My daughter she live in a generation full of everything technology wise I know I can't keep her from it but I can teach her out to correctly use it like my parents did when I first got those things. Her friends might get everything they want or they might but she'll learn what you do have you respect it and be grateful that her parents gave it to her and her siblings cause we can easily take way and she can never had it again. She can go out and buy her own.

I agree with this comment because if something happens to a child, the child may contact the parents

Well one if my child isn't with me that means they are with another adult that should be watching them so there for I can always contact my child because of who they are with. So I disagree with you all on that one. A child has no right to a cell phone because one they are not old enough or responsible to handle it. They can give out a number to any stranger person on the street that ask for and they can use it as a way of hurting your child. My a stay at home mom so my kids are always with me and not with me they are with a responsible adult and if I left my kids with no adult I must then be stupid. Because I would never leave my kids unattended with out someone being there. Where ever my kids are at there is a landlines in which they can call people and if they are not with me and get lost they can find a police officer in which he or she can then contact me. If I was those kids ages again my parents would have to die before giving my a cell phone at that age because I would be texting up a storm left and right and wasting there money before I'm even a teen. There is this one thing my husband always brings up and its about this teen age girl that was 16 and text ed in this number to support people in deserter and she spend over a $100 of her parents money because she thought it was for free till someone told her you know that those when you text those things you are charged for them. Easily a little kid can do the same if they have a phone that can text, or take photos and a young child can easily forget to bring with them just like us adults our cell phone. When I said that it would be stupid of me to leave my child unattended I was saying that parents that do that are but I would most certainly feel that I was stupid if I did so.

I totally agree with you two...my grandsons have had a cellphone every since they were 7/8 years old...It was our eyes and connection with them when they were not with us...we(mother, uncle,father,grandmother, were working family members and was not at home all the time...My grands went to after school everyday...we had the need to be able to be reached by them at all times...That was important to us...we have never had one bit of problems with him and a phone,,,he is now 13 this year and still no problem... I do believe its between the child and thier parents...every child is different when it comes to responsibility..If you know you child and have comfidence in what you have taught them growing up, I think until something happens to show you can't trust them, we should be realistic and trust them...you never know if you don't give them a chance... Its a GREAT feeling to know that they have learn what you taught them and showing they can be the person you have taught them to be.... I am only speaking from experience, families/children/people are different. and I do realize that....

I think as a mom that is okay. I agree that slowly teaching my children about certain technologies and how to use them is best for my kids. I want them to understand they are not toy's but things to help you when you need them like in an emergencies or to learn about things. My daughter she is one and she has an ipod but not an ipod touch yet. I'm scared she would down load something that shouldn't be even though you need a password to get it down load but if I down load something recently then she can. She now has her own little kid computer which is fun to watch her play on because he thinks its like mine and the same with one of my old cell phones which has nothing in it for her to do. I think its important as soon as she can understand certain phone numbers to call especially 911.

Well yes every child is different but at any age they are the same as any other kid there own age with thought patters. Me I would every give a young child a cell phone to have all day long and stuff. How to use a phone I think is important to teach child how to use and when to use it just like a cell phone so when they do get those certain technologies in there hands they understand what the use is for it and that if used in correctly it'll be taken away its a right to have it and keep it when being responsible. Me I didn't have a cell phone till I was 15 and I'm now 23 of course. But I was given mine because well it was just me and my mom and I never asked for one. I wanted one but I never begged or anything like my friends did and when I did get one I never used it for anything but calling my parents about things especially my dad since he was in a different state and some times I just wanted to hear his voice. In my heart the ages of when I was given things I think is a good age for my children to have them. If they beg and stuff for them then I know they aren't ready because they shouldn't be asking me if they can have it when they are truly responsible. At any age its good to teach a child about what things do and what they are used for and how to use them and how to protect themselves from others getting certain info and what to do if someone asks them for information that they don't need.