Cathurian Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 Okay. There's this three-year-old who comes into my room every day or so, wanting to see spiderman/hulk/whatever pictures on google. Cool, right? Except he wants to see them for HOURS. Basically, he will not leave of his own accord, but keeps insisting to see more and more pictures until I can trick him into going and watching TV or something. He also, in all honesty, has a problem with being spoiled. He will cry and whine at me if it takes a while to find what he asks for. How much time looking at spiderman pictures does charity require? I really want to make him happy, but goodness! He said he wants to look through the thousands and thousands and thousands of spiderman pictures and see them ALL. And he will not leave me alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel's angel Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 put a lock on your door Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathurian Posted July 30, 2005 Author Share Posted July 30, 2005 (edited) Oh, and also, there's a 10 year old who wants to use my internet every day or so. I usually give him a few hours if he asks that much, he's fairly considerate about it, but some days he will just stay on there until I tell him to get off now. Does charity require, or even praise, giving him the whole day if he wants it? Edit: And note, I can't just give him the internet and go do something else -- or I would give him more time. I have to stay right with him the whole time to help with technical difficulties, reading (he can read pretty well but not always everything, and asks my help often), and filling out registration forms and such -- he can only spell a very little. And so while I'm sitting in the room, helping him everay two seconds, the three year old comes in and insists I read him the same three books *every single time*. And when we finish he starts getting cranky. So if I give the internet I have to watch these two kids constantly. Edited July 30, 2005 by Cathurian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel's angel Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 no, cause letting him have it all day would damage his health Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel's angel Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 you have to do whats best for him, rather than what he wants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 Umm, where are these kids parents? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Tell the three year old that you will print off ten pictures for him to keep, but that will be the end of it. He has thirty minutes to deside which ones. Then that's it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old_Joe Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 [quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Jul 30 2005, 09:40 PM']Tell the three year old that you will print off ten pictures for him to keep, but that will be the end of it. He has thirty minutes to deside which ones. Then that's it!! [right][snapback]665804[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I agree. You have to be firm with kids. No matter how much they pout and scream. If you give them an inch, they will drag you for a mile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philothea Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 (edited) You surely have other obligations besides granting internet access to kids! You can't neglect those. And, you can't allow them to spend excessive time in mindless, inactive recreation (they must need exercise too?). I say an hour each. Set a timer. Give them ample warning. They will have to learn to do other things. OTOH, I am a huge grump. Edited July 31, 2005 by philothea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 My kids (ages 9 and 6) are allowed an hour of screen time a day. They rarely use it for computer... I guess they are tired of the games we have and they aren't fully aware of all the internet has to offer... shhhhhhhh At the end of the week they get a nickel for each half hour they don't use. (I don't want them to feel OBLIGATED to use the entire hour each day). They have really come to pick wisely. The exeption is on Sat. night when we pop popcorn and watch a family movie together... Life's too short to spend it all watching tv... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathurian Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 Actually...I don't have a lot of obligations. The chores are done once a week on Friday. Friday penance. Daily prayers. Homework if I have any, which I don't over the summer. And sometimes emptying the dishwasher. That's it. That is seriously it. And those things take barely any time at all. I spend all day, from the time I get up to the time I go to bed, on the computer. Exceptions are taking a bath and doing chores, and dinner, if we're eating together that night. So really, I can't kick him off because he's spending too much time on it. That would be so hypocritical it's not even funny. My only other "obligation" is to make sure that I spend all that internet time in a meaningful way. I spend it praying for the people I see online, learning about the faith and apologetics, reading books in the public domain, pursuing my own hobby of linguistics and languages (the general subject) on some other sites and forums, practicing my German, and less laudably talking on IM programs and playing an online game. Sometimes I debate. I'm saying all this because if I just told you "I can't kick him off because I spend all day on here too", you'd probably start berating me for being negligent. The real issue here is: it seems like the most profitable thing I could possibly be doing at any time is giving to someone else, rather than making posts in German or whatnot. But is it really, when I'm looking up spiderman pictures for hours on end, and the kid is literally *whining and crying* at me because it loads too slowly, or because he has to tell me when to hit the back button for another picture because I can't read his mind, or because there aren't any more good pictures...that's where I figured there had to be a line, but I wasn't sure where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old_Joe Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 [quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Jul 31 2005, 07:36 AM']My kids (ages 9 and 6) are allowed an hour of screen time a day. They rarely use it for computer... I guess they are tired of the games we have and they aren't fully aware of all the internet has to offer... shhhhhhhh At the end of the week they get a nickel for each half hour they don't use. (I don't want them to feel OBLIGATED to use the entire hour each day). They have really come to pick wisely. The exeption is on Sat. night when we pop popcorn and watch a family movie together... Life's too short to spend it all watching tv... [right][snapback]666058[/snapback][/right] [/quote] awww...that's cute! God willing, if I ever have kids, I going to constantly think to myself what would Super nanny do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theoketos Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Follow HSM advice. If they act spolied explain why. The summer is a time for being out side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathurian Posted July 31, 2005 Author Share Posted July 31, 2005 Even though that sounds absolutely hypocritical? "The summer is a time for being outside; I haven't been outside all summer, but you have to, because I say so." Maybe with the 3-year-old, but the 10-year-old is old enough to see right through that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 Too many adults spend too much time trying not to look like hypocrites to children. You are an adult (to a 3 year old and even a ten year old anyone over 15 is a grown up. ) You don't have to use the reason that they should be outside. You can simply say, "I don't have time to do that anymore." or if you are bold enough, "I don't want to do that anymore." You are an adult-- you don't owe them any explanation. However, it would be nice if you found another activity to do with the ten year old (and the three year old too)... like shooting hoops or pitching him a few baseballs. He sounds as though he could really use some positive attention... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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