My 13 year old son is watching inappropriate YouTube videos. What should I do?
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- Junior
The question is “What should I do?” Lots of people will tell you to just let it take its natural course. Others will tell you to exert control. I say, neither.
Your son is at an age where he is learning how to choose for himself. If you leave him to do as he pleases, he can get into a lot of trouble. If you try to control him you will become the enemy of his freedom and therefore the enemy of his will.
What’s needed is for his wisdom to grow. He needs to choose to figure these things out. What you can do is to ask him what he thinks. Your presence has influence. He is going to think very recklessly when he is alone in it, and that can lead to disasters (online dangers, self-loathing, regrets and guilt, increased immorality when he might have enjoyed some goodness, and even suicide). But, when engaged in a conversation with you he is going to have to filter his words, his thoughts, and bring a more ‘responsible” mindset to the topic. This will build conscience and wisdom through his chosen perspective and his desire to be respectful to you. Also, by showing his “need for freedom” the respect he wants you to give it, he will be more likely to trust you, and it is far better for him to have you as his ally during the years and decisions ahead than to see you as an adversary.
Your son is at an age where he is learning how to choose for himself. If you leave him to do as he pleases, he can get into a lot of trouble. If you try to control him you will become the enemy of his freedom and therefore the enemy of his will.
What’s needed is for his wisdom to grow. He needs to choose to figure these things out. What you can do is to ask him what he thinks. Your presence has influence. He is going to think very recklessly when he is alone in it, and that can lead to disasters (online dangers, self-loathing, regrets and guilt, increased immorality when he might have enjoyed some goodness, and even suicide). But, when engaged in a conversation with you he is going to have to filter his words, his thoughts, and bring a more ‘responsible” mindset to the topic. This will build conscience and wisdom through his chosen perspective and his desire to be respectful to you. Also, by showing his “need for freedom” the respect he wants you to give it, he will be more likely to trust you, and it is far better for him to have you as his ally during the years and decisions ahead than to see you as an adversary.
- poliq
- Junior
Open mindedness is a good thing. These are entertainment videos, nothing more. It will not change him much more than he is now. He's 13, his personality is pretty much set. This is just a form of entertainment that helps him get along his free time. Don't think about it too much.
Millions of kids worldwide are watching their videos. I'm not endorsing swearing but I'm just saying don't take it too hard. Your 13 year old kid is not a sponge, he is a human being. He doesn't soak up everything that he is exposed to. Have you ever wondered why adults can watch any movies without it having any lasting effect on them? Well, yeah, that happens to everyone, including kids. The idea that children do bad things because they learn bad things on TV and the internet and such, are just fuelled by overprotective parents and the media.
Of course you should be aware of other things that could happen to him such as a drug addiction or crime commitment. In such cases my friend for instance use mspy. They can monitor their teen`s phone and read massages also as far as I know they could even know where he is. So for them it is a way to be sure their son is safe and sound. I consider them to be good parents.
In short, they are just entertainment, take a chill pill, or better yet, watch it with him. This is the age we live in now, if your son thinks it's entertaining, and YouTube doesn't put an age-restriction on the videos that he watch, I’m pretty sure that a teenager is able to watch it.
Millions of kids worldwide are watching their videos. I'm not endorsing swearing but I'm just saying don't take it too hard. Your 13 year old kid is not a sponge, he is a human being. He doesn't soak up everything that he is exposed to. Have you ever wondered why adults can watch any movies without it having any lasting effect on them? Well, yeah, that happens to everyone, including kids. The idea that children do bad things because they learn bad things on TV and the internet and such, are just fuelled by overprotective parents and the media.
Of course you should be aware of other things that could happen to him such as a drug addiction or crime commitment. In such cases my friend for instance use mspy. They can monitor their teen`s phone and read massages also as far as I know they could even know where he is. So for them it is a way to be sure their son is safe and sound. I consider them to be good parents.
In short, they are just entertainment, take a chill pill, or better yet, watch it with him. This is the age we live in now, if your son thinks it's entertaining, and YouTube doesn't put an age-restriction on the videos that he watch, I’m pretty sure that a teenager is able to watch it.
all is well
- Hanna123
- Newbie
If you don't want him to watch these videos, you can install special apps that allow to control his access to different sites. I don't know their names, but they have function of parents control. But you should be ready for the possibility of watching such things when your son is not at home, for example, when he is at friends' homes. Maybe it is better to talk to him first and explain why you don't want him to watch this.
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