illnio7:
“I haven’t had the chance to peruse the conversation yet, but on its face, I do not see why a legitimate discussion concerning the divorce rate is inappropriate for a 13 year-old.”
It is because you have not had a chance to peruse the conversation that you see no problem with it. That particular converation was not just about divorce and its effects, but it veered into details completely inappropriate for kids, and in my opinion even for adults. Just because we are adults, it doesn’t justify our discussing lewd topics no matter how it is “packaged”. I am glad that YW finally closed that discussion down. Besides for the fact that that topic (not divorce, but the emphasis on the reasons for the divorce) is not really prevalent in our society to the extent that it needed to be discussed here. (Unfortunately, it happens once in a great while–we are not immune, but to discuss it here among all these other topics is to suggest that it is a common situation, which it most definitely is not in the frum, yeshiva/chassidsh world.)
While I’m on that note, I find that adults often allow themselves to watch or read material that they would agree is not appropriate for kids, but is okay for them. What I want to say is, (and I feel very strongly about this) that we adults are not immune to timtum halev, and if it is material of the kind that is “unkosher” (and I’m not referring to adult-related material which deals with mature topics in a wholesome way) we should not be exposing ourselves to them either. I know people who will censor the books and movies they allow their child to be exposed to but have no problem reading or watching very inapropriate material. This is self-dillusion and hypocracy of the highest order, and in my opinion, it bears thinking about.
Of course, this topic was about kids having internet access, and I want to mention one more point that was not raised. Besides for the devastating effects it can have on kids who see inapropriate images and read inapropriate things, internet surfing is quite addictive (as most of us here can attest ). Children who need to focus on their learning are inhibited, their social life is curtailed and of course, they are less active, adding to the risk of childhood obesity.