These days, keeping a child inside the house or in his or her room a a form of disciplinary action is not enough. Even taking away the car keys isn't quite as effective as it used to be. The reason? The kids have all sorts of electronic toys to play with. Even if they don't have a TV or radio in their room, they probably have an iPod or other digital music player, a mobile phone or smart phone, an iPad or other tablet device, an e-reader, or some type of gaming device. That's in addition to their computer. Basically, they can chat with friends 24/7, even if they are grounded.
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Some parents only let their kids use a wireless connection inside the house, which they can control from their own computer. When they want to cut off their kids' Internet connection, they do it from their own computer, so unless a kid has an internet hookup in his room and an ethernet cord stashed away in his closet, he can't get on the Internet. Some parents have their kids' computers connected to a digital timer. They set a curfew time at which the child's computer turns off automatically. These same parents are savvy enough to limit which Internet sites they don't want their kids to visit, and they know how to add sites to the "block" list.
Parents can get parental control apps (software) that will allow them to remotely lock their kids' phones and tablet devices, and keep tabs on or filter their calls, texts, and photo messages. If this sounds a bit like mom reading her daughter's diary, or a dad looking for copies of Playboy under his son's mattress, well, yeah. It is.
It would be best if parents could cultivate an open relationship with their kids such that they don't need to be snoopy, but that doesn't always happen. And kids test the limits, no question. They always have. Taking control of your kids' use of electronics and occasionally restricting their use of these things is an inescapable part of modern parenting. :-/
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