Bloggin’ Girl
The girl has started blogging. I told her that she wasn’t allowed to have a blog until she was 13. Well she turned 13 back in July; so last week, she stared a blog. It’s mostly the sort of thing that would only appeal to young teenage girls. I did think the post she wrote about going down to the school bus stop in the afternoon and teasing the kids who started back to school earlier than she did was funny.
She sent me the link. (I’ already had it since her confirmation e-mail came to me.) But I wanted to know how secret her blog is.
I’m not sure if I could read it every day. It’s pretty juvenile which is to be expected since she’s an 8th grader. But I wonder if I should ignore the jokes that only appeal to someone in junior high and read it anyway.
I am also considering lifting the restrictions on her e-mail account so she can receive mail from anybody. (Right now, she can only get mail from ad small list of people.) It doesn’t seem like it makes much since now since her blog has one of those “chatter box thingys”. I know that she could already have web mail access someplace but I don’t thing so, considering the trouble that she got in the last time she went to a forbidden site.
So, I gules I have two questions? How much if any should I read her blog. And should I eliminate the restrictions on the e-mail address?
And in case you are wondering, she was smart enough to use a pseudonym and fake location in her profile.
Comments
Comment from Chickie
Time August 26, 2005 at 7:15 am
I second everything Dave said. You can never be too careful.
Comment from Rosie
Time August 26, 2005 at 3:49 pm
In this day you have to remain a concerned parent, and 13 is still rather young. So best to keep an eye on things.
Comment from Midwestern City Boy
Time August 29, 2005 at 2:34 am
Dave/Chickie/Rosie: I think I will keep the parental controls in place for now. It only takes a few minutes to add someone to or delete someone from the list. I also like the idea of reading once per week or so.
And Dave, just so you know, The Girl went from a six year old to a teenager in what seemed like a few months.
Comment from Kelly
Time August 29, 2005 at 7:22 am
I’m late commenting..but glad you’re keeping yourself in the loop on this as parents.
You have to..it’s the most important job we’re ever given.
Comment from Midwestern City Boy
Time August 29, 2005 at 11:50 pm
Kelly: We’re still in the loop and haven’t lost touch but, some days, I feel like I am sounding too much like my parents.
Comment from Mel
Time August 30, 2005 at 9:57 am
Absolutely NO to lifting the restrictions on her email. And YES to keeping track of what she writes.
Comment from Dave
Time August 26, 2005 at 3:36 am
I would keep it restricted and just add her friends or fellow bloggers as required. The rock spider bastards target chat rooms for teens, blogs etc so I would keep her under surveillence for a few years yet(sounds terrible I know!) but we all know there are sick *&^^ out there in the world, better to keep a close eye than to be trying to find out where she has run off to. This has happened a fair bit in Oz.
I would read blog maybe once a week max I suppose, if she is real smart she will probably be able to see when you are visiting anyway, so if you visit too much she might get, well, lets use the term prissy…
not that little girls ever get that way! 
Yep, 6yr old girl myself, so I will be facing that question in a few years……wonder if I will listen to my own advice.
Sincerely, best of luck!
Dave.