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WTF (Frack) is wrong with you!

photo credit: Valerie Everett

Are you crazy?

I’ve tried to be nice but you’ve pushed my buttons too many times. Your latest post was just too much.

What started off as a nice post on Cell Phone for Kids turned into another one of those anti-responsible parent rally’s again.

Here’s the quote that has me hopping mad.

“They want to call and text their friends, play games, download ringtones and so on. And that’s totally fine at their age…every child wants that and no parents has a right to forbid their children entertainment.”

Not only do Parents have the right to forbid their children a form of entertainment but they have the RESPONSIBILITY to monitor and forbid their children certain forms of entertainment.

Children should NEVER have free reign. Especially when it comes to online access or phone access. Many of the game devices and cell phones give children access to pornography, and exceptionally violent images. Parents need to be aware just what their children are being exposed to with their PSP’s and IPhones.

There has been story after story in the news media of children texting inappropriate images and messages via their cell phones. We all should be well aware of the dangers of the internet by now.

Now you can say I’m being an over-bearing Momma again, but the truth is … This Momma Bear is determined to do her job of protecting and guiding her son into adulthood.

A child of 14-16 may think they are grown-up enough to make wise decisions but the physiological evidence shows that their brains are not fully developed to make those kinds of decisions. Children also tend to think they will not have to suffer consequences for their actions. Sadly, they are wrong.

My son is the most valuable thing in my life, and worth protecting at all cost. I wouldn’t leave money, jewelry or other valuables unprotected, so why would I want to leave my son open to such danger in the name of entertainment.

We have discussed the issue of cell phones in a more responsible manner in previous posts by Gabriella Parker. See Cell Phone Safety And the potential dangers of giving children free access to cell phones in the post Cheerleaders Innocent or Immoral.

And don’t forget the post entitled, Trust a Parents Cop out .

Now let me say this again… My problem is not with whether to give a child a cell phone or not…That is every parents decision to make… My problem is with this idea that a Parent does not have the right to determine what form of entertainment or technology their child is allowed. The Right and the Responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of the Parent.

I use to hate it when people would say to me “Wait till you have a child of your own, then you’ll understand” but Hey, Billy the Kid…. WAIT TILL YOU HAVE A CHILD OF YOUR OWN THEN YOU’LL UNDERSTAND!