PLease help

[Judilyn]

My home has becaome a constant source of frictin and it's all over the internet. My teens (I have 2) fight over it all the time. They are on it day and night. I rarely get time on it myself. Both are obsessed with that MSN messenger and I've come to hate it.

We've tried schedules, limiting and just saying no but to tell you the truth they are so obsessed that it doesn't work.

The Web and especially CF are my favorite thing to do for relaxation but if I don't find a solutiuon that works I will be forced to shut it off in order to bring peace to my home.

Suggestions please, I don't want to leave CF or shut down my net service.

 

[Andry]

Who's computer is it? If it's 'yours', then you don't have to let them use it. And if you obviously allow them, then it's their privilege and not their right. If it's the family's, then I think you should have control (as parents) on what it's to be used for. And for me, it would be for school work only - including research on the net; ie. no online games or chat rooms or instant messaging. But that's just me.

But even if they have their own computer, you're the one paying for the monthly fees. If they still insist on IM or chat, then they should contribute the monthly fees out of their allowance.

Lastly, do you have seperate login names (say if you're on XP) for them and limit their Internet activities with appropriate software?

 

[mamaneenie]

I think this is some good advice here. I remember growing up with the same problems in our house. There were 5 of us, and we all wanted our computer time, so mum and dad basically said that each night we would have 1/2 to 1 hour each, but only after our homework was done and all that stuff.

If we whined or complained about those rules then we weren't allowed to be on it at all for the next day. If we were really bad about it, it would be a week. (I think the rules were similar to that but it was 10 years ago) I remember there was a lot of complaining at first, but after a while we realised these guys were serious so we had to meet those expectations or no computer time.

 

[HeatherJay]

If you have XP, then just lock the desktop with a password. No one will be able to get on except you. Maybe that would be a solution that didn't involve shutting off the internet completely?

 

[bliz]

Teens can get jobs and earn money. A desktop can be had, new, for $400, and there are reliable older computers on sale from dealers who have refurbished them and often sell with a warrenty.

 

[katelyn]

I agree with the password idea that Heather suggested. Or if that doesn't work, maybe try taking away the power cord to your computer. Of course, I've never been in that type of a situation before, so you can take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm just suggesting things that I've heard of people doing when they have problems with their kids not obeying computer or video game rules.