whos the youngest member on the fourm?

[michellemuffin]

my 11 year old daughter wanted to post and i have been saying for ages soon soon, she is a competant pig lover and has 4 of her own scooby 2, scrappy, bertie and biscuit, she helped me last week with Dobby and I trust her totally with them, shes the only one really allowed in my sheds, but am not too sure yet, what do you think? is she too young to express her views on guinea pig care she often reads some of the postings and says her points of view to me , but i dont want her exposed to the more sharper postings that I find on occasion upsetting, am I too protective, on occasion some of the younger members do get some unfriendly advice not always ment that way but to a child can be hurtful,

 

[bevs]

That would be Jane I think, she's just turned 13. I for one would welcome Carrie Anne with open arms :-*

 

[lilgalnatalie]

hello, I'm 13 aswell it would be good to have someone my own age on the forum (no offence to the adults, cause your all great!)
some posts do hurt my feelings tho. :'( Some members (not mentioning no names) come on very sharp and sound like they are having
ago at me on things i cant control. But i think it would be nice to welcome her to the forum, its a safe way to chat to people and
learn new stuff about guineas, and make some new friends!

 

[Glynis]

Oh please let her on, we want to meet her :smitten: :smitten:

 

[baby-wilson]

I'm turning 14 but I'm still 13 at the moment ;P lol

 

[michellemuffin]

Oh please let her on, we want to meet her :smitten: :smitten:

might let her post on my name, will get her to say who she is to begin with, test the water, shes often reads the postings with me, and has her own opinion luckly she is very much like me in that she is kind hearted and caring, :smitten: and above all pig mad,

here she is cuddling dobby a few months ago

 

[cavykind]

Not being funny, but I really don't think it's a good idea to be asking this question :-\

While I know children are welcome here and it's lovely that they can learn and share with us...

There are some really weird (paedophile) people who use the internet and can target vulnerable children. I think most boards discourage their younger members from divulging their age and this makes sense. It's unfortunate that we have to think this way, but sadly children do need protection and we should look out for them where we can.

So younger members please think twice about posting your age or check with your mum or dad first. Not just here but all boards and the internet in general. Sorry if I am touchy about this but a friends daughter had some probs a few years ago. Nothing serious, but worrying non the less.

Barbara

 

[Darky]

To be honest, I don't think it's too much of a problem in Michelle's case simply because she asked.

I'm 18 now and have been using the internet almost entirely unsupervised since about the age of 10.

I'm now desensitised to most things. Which has it's advantages, I admit.

But the fact is that she is asking and checking, and shows care and much interest in the safety of her daughter. Not that many parents do that for their children when it comes to the internet, and it's really nice to see it.

Maybe it would be worth making a thread in the 'Rules & Guidelines' section for basic safety rules for younger members?

 

[Glynis]

Yes i recognise her from previous pics hi there sweetie :-* :-*

:'( :'( :'( :'( RIP little man

That's a photo to treasure Michelle and Carrie Anne it's i'm sure what you'd call a 'cracker' definitely for a frame

 

[gothchick1515]

Yeah i arge with Darky, I'm 18 and started using the net around 9/10 even if it was the snail pace dial up! if you trust her Michelle and you'd be with her then why not?! i first joined a chat room at i think 12 and iv never met anyone from the internet.

 

[michellemuffin]

my daughter has had discussions about all this at school her eldest brother is an IT braniac and we have loads of protection on our computers I am not about to put my daughter at risk, if you notice on photos of us all we often mention our kids names and ages, I would never ever put my daughter at risk and think maybe you are being over cautious, and this from a mum whos 9 year old was almost abducted back in Essex by a padephile :tickedoff: he only saved himself by remembering what I told him, so i am more then most aware of the problems, maybe I could say her name is florence and she is 90 ;D just a joke and obvioulsy if I am still not sure she should be posting it is becasue I am aware of any problems, plus hubby was a copper so know full well what goes on in life,

 

[darkest.dreaming]

and this from a mum whos 9 year old was almost abducted back in Essex by a padephile :tickedoff: he only saved himself by remembering what I told him, so i am more then most aware of the problems,

Good god thats awful, i'm so glad he's ok!

 

[cavykind]

I would never ever put my daughter at risk and think maybe you are being over cautious

Maybe, maybe not :-\

It's great that you have ll kinds of precaution in place on your comuter, but other children using this forum may not have, and that surely could leave them at risk? Also what is to stop someone registering and using the pm facility to "befriend" children?

The topic question "invites" our younger members to divulge their age and that is to me of concern.

If I am being over protective, that's just the way I feel about this.
I guess it is up to the board mods if they are happy to encourage this.

Barbara

 

[Darky]

I'll write (type) up a little article on basic guidelines for younger members on internet safety, and ask Admin if they can post it up and sticky it in the Rules & Guidelines section. C:

I did voluntary work with Crucial Crew, where I taught groups of kids about internet safety.. With their wonderful "scare tactics." I had to sit in a little room with a computer and talk to them in a closed chatroom on a computer in the room they were in, but they thought it was open - and I had to pretend to be a kid their age from the area, and see how much information I could get out of them.

Scarily, some revealed names, ages, where they lived, where they went to school, where they went after school, etc.

I then had to jump out and scare the living daylights out of them before giving them a good lecture.

I loved being able to praise the kids that refused to give information, though. It was great fun all around.

Plus I made a forum for my old college community, and I make guilds and forums on various websites, so I'm experienced in the ways of articles and guidelines. ;3

Plus I'm a big internet safety nut, having met many people from the internet in the real world through safety and sensibility.

 

[baby-wilson]

I think thats a great idea! You never can be too careful!

 

[Darky]

The great thing about the Crucial Crew work was that I wasn't really in a room, but in the same room - but behind a big screen. They had no idea I was there. So I could hear everything they were saying.

 

[michellemuffin]

and this from a mum whos 9 year old was almost abducted back in Essex by a padephile :tickedoff: he only saved himself by remembering what I told him, so i am more then most aware of the problems,

Good god thats awful, i'm so glad he's ok!

hes nearly 22 now but it left him with going out issues for years after,

anytime kids go on their computer its a risk and its up to parents to be aware of this, considering we have had this rammed down our throats ( quite rightly) most parents are only too aware of the worrys but millions of kids do use them in schools in fact , and people would know their ages from that alone, I like to believe most kids have enough common sense not to answer unexpected emails, mine are taught at school to ask a parent before doing so, and i do believe we had a posting about ages of us all a while ago, why was the risk not spoken about then,
and yes I do agree with darkys idea of a sticky with rules for the younger members, but i personally feel I have my kids saftey covered,

 

[Darky]

You sound like a great Mum, Michelle. C:

 

[cavykind]

and this from a mum whos 9 year old was almost abducted back in Essex by a padephile :tickedoff: he only saved himself by remembering what I told him, so i am more then most aware of the problems,

Good god thats awful, i'm so glad he's ok!

and i do believe we had a posting about ages of us all a while ago, why was the risk not spoken about then,

Michelle your post rang alarm bells for me personally because of the way it was worded. It appeared to target the youngsters on the forum (in particular) to divulge their age. Children seeing the post are naturally going to think nothing of saying "I'm 12, I'm 13 or whatever in an attempt to be "the youngest member."

It would be awful if it attracted the wrong attention, which as a loving caring mum yourself, you would surely agree. Not all children are as streetwise as your little one or parents as conscientious as you

Barbara

 

[Darky]

and this from a mum whos 9 year old was almost abducted back in Essex by a padephile :tickedoff: he only saved himself by remembering what I told him, so i am more then most aware of the problems,

Good god thats awful, i'm so glad he's ok!

and i do believe we had a posting about ages of us all a while ago, why was the risk not spoken about then,

Michelle your post rang alarm bells for me personally because of the way it was worded. It appeared to target the youngsters on the forum (in particular) to divulge their age. Children seeing the post are naturally going to think nothing of saying "I'm 12, I'm 13 or whatever in an attempt to be "the youngest member."

It would be awful if it attracted the wrong attention, which as a loving caring mum yourself, you would surely agree. Not all children are as streetwise as your little one or parents as conscientious as you

Barbara

Now remember, children are not robots. ;3 They don't all act and think the same.

 

[cavykind]

and this from a mum whos 9 year old was almost abducted back in Essex by a padephile :tickedoff: he only saved himself by remembering what I told him, so i am more then most aware of the problems,

Good god thats awful, i'm so glad he's ok!

and i do believe we had a posting about ages of us all a while ago, why was the risk not spoken about then,

Michelle your post rang alarm bells for me personally because of the way it was worded. It appeared to target the youngsters on the forum (in particular) to divulge their age. Children seeing the post are naturally going to think nothing of saying "I'm 12, I'm 13 or whatever in an attempt to be "the youngest member."

It would be awful if it attracted the wrong attention, which as a loving caring mum yourself, you would surely agree. Not all children are as streetwise as your little one or parents as conscientious as you

Barbara

Now remember, children are not robots. ;3 They don't all act and think the same.

No but many would quite innocently think nothing of answering such an innocent in this instance request

Barbara

 

[Darky]

and this from a mum whos 9 year old was almost abducted back in Essex by a padephile :tickedoff: he only saved himself by remembering what I told him, so i am more then most aware of the problems,

Good god thats awful, i'm so glad he's ok!

and i do believe we had a posting about ages of us all a while ago, why was the risk not spoken about then,

Michelle your post rang alarm bells for me personally because of the way it was worded. It appeared to target the youngsters on the forum (in particular) to divulge their age. Children seeing the post are naturally going to think nothing of saying "I'm 12, I'm 13 or whatever in an attempt to be "the youngest member."

It would be awful if it attracted the wrong attention, which as a loving caring mum yourself, you would surely agree. Not all children are as streetwise as your little one or parents as conscientious as you

Barbara

Now remember, children are not robots. ;3 They don't all act and think the same.

No but many would quite innocently think nothing of answering such an innocent in this instance request

Barbara

It really is exactly the same as a thread asking everyone's ages, though.

They're not being children, they're just being regular members, taking part in a discussion. C:

Being honest about your age doesn't mean that you're going to be hunted down by perverts. It's just one of those things really, alas - the internet is going to be medium-risk no matter what you do.

There is nothing wrong with saying your first name and age, so long as you have the sense to not allow anyone to harass you about it as a result.

'Thus why I am going to start typing up those guidelines.

 

[Barmy4boars]

ever put my daughter at risk and think maybe you are being over cautious

Maybe, maybe not

I think things are getting out of hand. I hope that if any members want to discuss peoples parenting skills they would do so privately as this can be nothing other than offensive, perhaps deliberately so. Please do think about the hurt you may be causing to others in posts such as this. I apologise to the majority of members who have contributed perfectly nicely to this post. Michelles daughter is using this forum with permission, and full knowledge and supervision of her mother. I hope that she feels welcome and safe here. As someone who myself was a sensible and mature child I would have hated to be excluded from something because of peoples preconceptions about 'children' of my age. If people do not want to give out their age they do not have to.

I am now locking this post.