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My stepsons web page

Sherrylyn's picture

One night recently our youngest son mentioned that he was putting some things, some humourous, on his web page. It sounded funny and said give us the web address and we'll look at it. Now he's defensive. First he says he can't remember the address, we said that we sure didn't believe that. Then he said that he didn't tell us about it so we could invade his privacy and said that he'll just get rid of it. May I ask, what privacy? You have it posted on the web.

So I asked him what he had on it that was so bad that we couldn't see it. "Nothing." So I had him show it to me. The thing that had me most concerned was the amount of information the children put out there for anyone to see. Examples such as: Photographs of them and their friends; their whole name along with the whole name of the person they're dating or family members; what area of the city they live in; where they go to school; what activities they're involved in; what their team names are, and their schedule; and so on.

I have asked him to refrain from doing so. I think about what risk they might put themselves in. Children, especially young girls being abducted. They just have to go where they say they go, they already know what they look like, and tell them that there's been an accident or whatever will work. Everyone of them will tell you that they're smarter than all that. We can only hope.

Comments

happy mom's picture

It is scary...just educate your children about it by going over the news on what happened to these children that do that. I hope that will scare them enough to not do that. All we can do is educate them on the real world stuff and hope they'll obey us.

Sweetie's picture

Hi All,
The issue of what the kids are putting on web pages and blogs is of special interest and importance to me. In the last several months, my husband and I have had dealings with my estranged stepdaughter about some really nasty, derogatory stuff that she has posted on numerous websites. When I commented back on her site, she complained to her mother, who in turn contacted my husband. Her mother had absolutely no idea what she had been posting on the websites, and needless to say, the stuff she post now, is much different, although she is still on a different plane than the rest of us. Kids are putting their cell phone numbers on the sites as well, and I just want to draw attention to the fact that parents can set parameters on the computers at home for sites that the kids can use. It's far better to be safe than sorry.
Regards,
Sweetie

Sherrylyn's picture

My husbands line of work deals with everything computer. So years ago each of our boys had a computer in their room, and that wasn't the problem. After a very short while he also gave them an internet hook up. Before if they wanted to be on the intenet they would have to be in the livingroom. I had passwords on their computers for sometime, my husband has axed that. If I restrict them at home they have school, or work computers.

Our oldest is in college taking an I.T. program and has three computers in his room. My husband has 7 laptops and 3 computers in the livingroom, no kidding, and 5 computers downstairs. All of them work.

I also know that the boys are savy enough to have more than one site, but I did get my youngest GF's web address because he put a link to her site on his. I checked hers and I saw that she has a link to his. They are too foolish to link it up to the good site.

God give us strength.

lovin-life's picture

It's a balance between being part of the 21st century and keeping your children safe. I was surprised last year when a girl from another school showed up on my doorstep looking for my 12 yr old daughter. I came to find out that another girl was putting nasty postings on sites and signing my daughters name to them. This girl was also putty nasty things on my daughters site.

That was my first introduction into the wonderful world of websites. I have become very savy since then. Most of the kids at her school have these websites and many of them are linked to each other. I was able to trace the girls, I learned thier names, from that telephone numbers, and even their addresses through these sites & a phone book. Very scary! If I could do it knowing so little....anybody could. I traced the IP address & provider of the offender. Then I called all the girls parents whose sites had nasty things attributed to my daughter.. Made them get thier children to verify the IP address of the posts delete them,and confirm that it belonged to this other girl...not my daughter It stopped it!!

My daughter was without msn & website for almost 9 months..I didn't see the point. We have a phone. But I realized that she was missing out on a huge, huge part of "normal" teenage life. Why should she be punished for the actions of others...so she recently got access back. She is very closely supervised. I have access to her site..I check it out on a regular basis..she can only get on the computer when we log her on. We are all in the rec room together while she in online.

If you check your history after your son has been on..you should be able to find his site. It is public information. I don't think their is anything wrong with playing it safe. Maybe it is an invasion of privacy....but its public information! They don't get that sometimes. My daughter knows my feelings and stand on this issue!! I will look over her shoulder at any time. Because I LOVE HER!
I'm finding that some parents would be shocked to see the language some girls use, the bashing that goes on, the threats of fights, etc. It is a window to what really goes on in your child's world or school.

Keep informed..keep him informed!

Ginger's picture

Its funny that this topic was brought up because recently I saw my step daugher logging on to her website and her log in name was brunette hottie! Mind you she is only 10 years old! The scary part is that she logged on right in front of me thinking there was nothing wrong with it. We now monitor her very closely when she is using any of our computers for school work, but the biomom clearly does not supervise her. In addition biomom is planning on putting a computer in my SD's room at her house. I think that is a very dangerous idea, but biomom never listens when we make suggestions and this child is growing up with no boundaries. Several months ago she came over with a new I Pod full of vulgar and profane music. Its absolutely sickening and when confronted, biomom said she did not know the content of those songs! Is it not a parents job to check the content of a song, television show or internet site before giving their child the ok??

Sherrylyn's picture

After I spoke with SS17 about all the personal information on his website and his GF14 he agreed with me. He changed the amount of personal information on his and he also had GF14 do the same. Well if wonders never cease.