Wednesday, April 14, 2010

What's a parent to do?



Mercifully, this is a problem that is not necessarily my problem, but I'm sorta curious anyway.

I was searching Google Images this afternoon, looking for a photo to refute The Epic's claim to be Carla Bruni's paramour. This is an issue that was settled long ago. You may find the details here.

I don't particularly care that the future first lady of France was comfortable having photos taken of views normally reserved for her OB/GYN. I went straight to the bigger issues.

* How easy 'tween boys have it today.

* Google must be destroying Playboy's business model.

* I wouldn't have a kid who was too stupid to override Google's safe search mechanism. So what's a parent to do when THE search engine is also THE porn deliverer. Is there a magic parent button somewhere?

It must be hell having boys around the house these days.

Toad

13 comments:

Allie and Pattie said...

As the mother of 5 boys I agree- but they're all still easier than one 16 year old girl. S-i-g-h....

Shelley said...

Raising kids is never easy. What about hooking up the computer to the big screen TV in the family room? Then everyone can see what goes on... I'm sure it wouldn't work, but it's an idea.

Suburban Princess said...

Thanks for the warning! But like Allie and Pattie says - I would much rather have a 13 year old boy in my house than a 13 year old girl!

Limit internet time to when a parent is there to oversee it.

Mrs. Blandings said...

They don't need a computer darling, they have their phones (or PSPs or whatever.) I've done all the security nonsense, but as he is he one who fixes any glitch in my computer, surely he knows how to unsecure whatever. I did, at least, install a code that must be enabled to view any adult programming on the televisions; the only one who has mentioned it to me was Mr. Blandings. I didn't give it to him, either.

Truthfully, it's not the Playboy stuff that concerns me as much as the really scary and awful stuff.

M.Lane said...

What we do re the computer is we keep it in the family room and he doesnt have one in his room. That chaps hell out of him but so far so good.

ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com

Patsy said...

We had the computer in the family room as well, but many families don't.

As a former girl, I agree with all who say girls are harder.

Kathy said...

I agree with Mrs. Blandings; there is so much worse stuff around.

Toad said...

I have learned much this morning. Thank goodness I had my daughter when I was too dumb to know better. I might rethink that now.

JMW said...

Ugh, as the mother of a 5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy, I don't even want to think about this. Ugh, challenges ahead. The line from Ferris Bueller keeps echoing in my head, "I weep for the future." ;)

Easy and Elegant Life said...

My kids are 5 and almost 4... I can't imagine what the next few years will bring in re: the computer. However, Mrs. E. and I are staunch believers that they will not have gaming consoles or computers. But I can't imagine that'll last... . yikes....

"The Wild, Wild Web" an FBI agent of my acquaintance called it.

Toad said...

I am happy being naive enough not knowing what the really scary stuff is

NCJack said...

This brought back an "analog" or "old school" scene of my yout'

We were taking the family piano that I never learned to play to the church, and my Dad said "you cleared out the bench, right?" It had storage under the seat for sheet music...and my "hidden" stash of Playboys.

Polly said...

Many days I would trade my boys for more girls! As a mother of five, it is hard. We've had some computer porn problems in our house with our oldest son - despite the one computer being in the LR.
I fear for this generation and their future spouses, having been brought up in this culture where garbage is pipelined directly into our homes.
I recommend K9 Web Protector if anybody needs a free porn blocker. It is easily customized and overridden if need be.