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Is 10 too young...

mrsconn23mrsconn23 member
Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
in Wedding Woes
For an iPod touch? Are there even parental controls on them?

The kiddo is obsessed with them.  A few of his friends have them and he's played with them and now thinks they're the greatest thing ever.   He talks about them all.the.time.  (He told last night he wants one so he can play "Angry Birds", LOL)

He wants to save up for one.  DH has meandered online to look at refurbished ones. 

I don't really want him to have one because of the internet access they allow.  He doesn't get online at home unless DH or I are online with him.   He loves watching videos on YouTube of people doing stunts and whatnot.

DH, the kiddo, and I had a whole conversation last night about the internet and maturity.   I feel a little bit like I'm trying to shelter him and maybe too much, but he's still so good and so innocent and I just want to keep him that way for as long as I can.   He thinks the only 'bad' people in the world are robbers and whatnot. 

He's very responsible with his things (guitars, PSP, PS3), so it's not a matter of him not treating it well.  I just a) don't know if he really needs another 'device' and b) if he's ready for internet acess that's not as limited.

WDWWT?
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Re: Is 10 too young...

  • DG1DG1 member
    Ninth Anniversary 5000 Comments 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011

    I know Candi bought one for Autumn either last Xmas or even the one before.  IDK about internet access, but H sortof wants one for Dex because he's always stealing our phones anyway.  

    Then again, we're pretty confident he's not out looking for porn at age 2. I might think differently when he's 5, and definitely when he's 10.

    I would be really surprised if there weren't some app or download that provivded some kind of blocking or at least tracking.

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  • AuntFloAuntFlo member
    Tenth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    I have one and I'm pretty sure there is a parental blocking thingy.   I'll look right now...
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  • baconsmombaconsmom member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited December 2011
    I think this is something every family has to decide for themselves.

    Bacon gets on the internet by herself, with minimal supervision from us. We keep all our computers in public rooms - so, she's not holed up by herself in her bedroom - but that's it. If we could afford a touch and thought she'd take care of it, we'd probably pick one up for her for a birthday or Christmas, and not give internet access a second thought.

    But that's what works for US. Our parenting style is pretty permissive when it comes to media and "exposure" to things, and we know that, but it might not work for your family. 

    I think if you have concerns about it, you should investigate what sort of parental controls are available, and perhaps suggest an alternate device that might have better controls, or tell Kiddo that it's not something he'll be getting. 
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  • AuntFloAuntFlo member
    Tenth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Yep!   In the settings you can select which currently loaded apps can be used and which can't.   Whenever you want to add a new app or itunes you have to enter a password.
    You can turn off access to the internet.

    My only real concern would be FaceTime.   My bosses kids use it to talk to their friends, which is really cool.   But I can see the potential for trouble with older kids/teenagers.   Of course, you can always turn FaceTime off - -it's just that it's one of the cool benefits of having the touch.
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  • AuntFloAuntFlo member
    Tenth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Another benefit of the touch:  my DH and I used to fight over our one computer every night (we'd bring our work laptops home on the weekends.)   Now that I have this, I don't need the stupid computer.  :)   No more fights!   About the computer anyway.
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  • mrsconn23mrsconn23 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_10-young?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:cf073430-da53-462c-ae33-72f0f0a3ae1dPost:15f35b34-2e83-4322-ba91-c1c3a2571eb1">Re: Is 10 too young...</a>:
    [QUOTE]Another benefit of the touch:  my DH and I used to fight over our one computer every night (we'd bring our work laptops home on the weekends.)   Now that I have this, I don't need the stupid computer.  :)   No more fights!   About the computer anyway.
    Posted by AuntFlo[/QUOTE]

    DH and I each ended up with our own laptops for this reason.  :)


    And I should clarify about the internet thing...The kiddo really doesn't have that much of an interest in using our computers at home.  If he's going to use anything, it's going to be the PS3.   And he honestly doesn't have time during the week to use a computer or play video games because he has so much homework (which a whole other vent of mine).  And on the weekends, he may play PS3, but he's usually outside playing with his friends. 

    So we monitor him pretty closely with the computers moreso because he doesn't really know how to 'work' them.  

    Although, this is the child that got in trouble for Googling 'booger' this school year. <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" />  I'm so proud, I tell you.  LOL
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  • AuntFloAuntFlo member
    Tenth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Hehehehehe...   One of DD's first 2-syllable words was booger.   :)
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  • NOLABridesmaidNOLABridesmaid member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    edited December 2011
    I think at 10 it's more about him being responsible with his things. Does he usually take care of his things?

    If he always loses or breaks them I would probably hold off on it.
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  • +candi++candi+ member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Autumn got one when she was 4. She knew how to use our iphones and we figured it couldn't hurt. Even now at almost 6 she doesn't really use the internet part. Just games, slingbox, netflix etc. It is fantastic entertainment when waiting at a restaurant or in the car.


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