Aunt

this is always a tough one for me because I do think that kids need some space to find their own identity and that it is normal for them to have their secrets. But I do not like the thought of the dangers they are facing with pedophiles etc. I have a password for my niece but do not use it without letting her know first. She can be online friends with pretty much any kid she knows already in the "real" world but not with any strangers & while she may do what she wants while online we have agreed rules about how much time she can spend and the modem is turned off at other times. I have one of those parental control things to prevent porn from filtering through but I limit it to this. I figure it is not unlike kids going to the mall etc. it would be excessive for parents to follow them around but they do need to know who they are with, when they will be home etc and there are limits and cerfews.