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Are you able to go into more detail? I avoided roblox for my daughter as long as I could, but her cousins stopped playing minecraft with her, going exclusively

Are you able to go into more detail? I avoided roblox for my daughter as long as I could, but her cousins stopped playing minecraft with her, going exclusively to roblox. The inertia was eventually too much. I've limited her to a couple experiences and to only talk to her cousins, but I don't really see much control otherwise.

bombcar 4y ago
One thing I'd do is play as her character at times - the cousins should know you do it, and she should (hopefully) be fine with you grinding whatever it is Roblox's have. Anything untoward should also occur to you whilst playing. And be completely open and upfront about the dangers, and how the "scams" work.
- Delphiza 4y ago
  I don't think that you can play as a child character because you won't know what kids do, never mind understanding the actual game. It is how they interact with each other that is will be foreign to adult non-players. It is like, as an adult, trying to sit down and have a barbie tea party. After 30 seconds you're done and wonder how on earth it can keep a child occupied half an hour.
- giancarlostoro 4y ago
  I think this is likely the best way to go about it, but offer some sort of reward for their transparency such as helping them achieve in-game goals, and maybe rewarding them for out of game accomplishments (good grades, cleaning dishes, putting away clothes, etc) with in-game rewards you normally pay for. At least then it's not some creepy old man asking for inappropriate things in exchange for a in-game reward. Also make it clear, that you're worried about other players doing bad things to her that she might not realize is insanely bad. When I first would use the internet, my mom freaked out one of my friends typed a little too fast, I don't know if my mom was right or wrong, I don't know how much faster I would of typed at the same age had I had a computer for a few years more, but she was like nope. Block them. So I did.
  - germinalphrase 4y ago
    What was the concern about typing too fast? That the mom couldn’t monitor what they’re typing because they were submitting before she could finish reading?
    - spoonjim 4y ago
      No I think that it's a clear sign of an adult. You don't see many 12-year-olds who can type at the speed that I can type at, although you do see some.
      - germinalphrase 4y ago
        Ah. I misread. Thank you.
      - koprulusector 4y ago
        Twelve year old me learned to type fast from flaming my opponents during StarCraft: Brood War public 1:1 Lost Temple matches. Gotta type the message and send as quick as possible: those SCVs ain’t gonna start mining minerals or vespene gas on their own; supply depots won’t build themselves.
        itintheory 4y ago
        MUDs did it for me. Type faster or DIE!
      - btilly 4y ago
        My 14 year old types faster than most adults. And has been able to do so for a couple of years. She wanted the skill for the game One Hour, One Life and there are free typing apps out there.
        giancarlostoro 4y ago
        I was about 9 or 10 years old when this moment happened mind you, I was typing with two fingers, one on each hand, nowadays I use at least three or four fingers per hand to type, which is a lot faster.
csin 4y ago
May I ask. As someone without children. Why not just educate your daughter on the topic of pedophiles? With that awareness, she can play whatever she wants.
- iecheruo 4y ago
  Education helps a great deal but there is a reason 12 year olds don't hold office or run fortune 500 companies. In aggregate the judgement and maturity required to protect themselves from being exploited has not quite fully developed. It's why there are so many social and legal protections for children, they are just inherently vulnerable.
- pfortuny 4y ago
  They are children. By definition, they lack self-awareness, self-control and the ability to perceive risk and danger. Talking is good but not enough at all.
- freedom-fries 4y ago
  Fair question and I had too when I didn't have my own. The best way I can explain is - Think how stupid and emotionally strong is the average adult, now scale by a factor of what you think a person who has a fraction of experience and emotional strength. It becomes scarier once you factor in that kids' learning is not linear, and a 12-13 old kid is simultaneously dealing with hormonal changes as well and you have a situation that most parents can barely deal with!
  - CamperBob2 4y ago
    Think how stupid and emotionally strong is the average adult, now scale by a factor of what you think a person who has a fraction of experience and emotional strength. Counterpoint: the very phenomenon you mention could be a consequence of overprotective parenting. By the age of 12, it's time to start explaining some uncomfortable things to your kids. Especially if you're going to let them interact with strangers (of any age) online.
    - 4y ago

bombcar 4y ago

One thing I'd do is play as her character at times - the cousins should know you do it, and she should (hopefully) be fine with you grinding whatever it is Roblox's have. Anything untoward should also occur to you whilst playing. And be completely open and upfront about the dangers, and how the "scams" work.

Delphiza 4y ago
I don't think that you can play as a child character because you won't know what kids do, never mind understanding the actual game. It is how they interact with each other that is will be foreign to adult non-players. It is like, as an adult, trying to sit down and have a barbie tea party. After 30 seconds you're done and wonder how on earth it can keep a child occupied half an hour.
giancarlostoro 4y ago
I think this is likely the best way to go about it, but offer some sort of reward for their transparency such as helping them achieve in-game goals, and maybe rewarding them for out of game accomplishments (good grades, cleaning dishes, putting away clothes, etc) with in-game rewards you normally pay for. At least then it's not some creepy old man asking for inappropriate things in exchange for a in-game reward. Also make it clear, that you're worried about other players doing bad things to her that she might not realize is insanely bad. When I first would use the internet, my mom freaked out one of my friends typed a little too fast, I don't know if my mom was right or wrong, I don't know how much faster I would of typed at the same age had I had a computer for a few years more, but she was like nope. Block them. So I did.
- germinalphrase 4y ago
  What was the concern about typing too fast? That the mom couldn’t monitor what they’re typing because they were submitting before she could finish reading?
  - spoonjim 4y ago
    No I think that it's a clear sign of an adult. You don't see many 12-year-olds who can type at the speed that I can type at, although you do see some.
    - germinalphrase 4y ago
      Ah. I misread. Thank you.
    - koprulusector 4y ago
      Twelve year old me learned to type fast from flaming my opponents during StarCraft: Brood War public 1:1 Lost Temple matches. Gotta type the message and send as quick as possible: those SCVs ain’t gonna start mining minerals or vespene gas on their own; supply depots won’t build themselves.
      - itintheory 4y ago
        MUDs did it for me. Type faster or DIE!
    - btilly 4y ago
      My 14 year old types faster than most adults. And has been able to do so for a couple of years. She wanted the skill for the game One Hour, One Life and there are free typing apps out there.
      - giancarlostoro 4y ago
        I was about 9 or 10 years old when this moment happened mind you, I was typing with two fingers, one on each hand, nowadays I use at least three or four fingers per hand to type, which is a lot faster.

csin 4y ago

May I ask. As someone without children. Why not just educate your daughter on the topic of pedophiles? With that awareness, she can play whatever she wants.

iecheruo 4y ago
Education helps a great deal but there is a reason 12 year olds don't hold office or run fortune 500 companies. In aggregate the judgement and maturity required to protect themselves from being exploited has not quite fully developed. It's why there are so many social and legal protections for children, they are just inherently vulnerable.
pfortuny 4y ago
They are children. By definition, they lack self-awareness, self-control and the ability to perceive risk and danger. Talking is good but not enough at all.
freedom-fries 4y ago
Fair question and I had too when I didn't have my own. The best way I can explain is - Think how stupid and emotionally strong is the average adult, now scale by a factor of what you think a person who has a fraction of experience and emotional strength. It becomes scarier once you factor in that kids' learning is not linear, and a 12-13 old kid is simultaneously dealing with hormonal changes as well and you have a situation that most parents can barely deal with!
- CamperBob2 4y ago
  Think how stupid and emotionally strong is the average adult, now scale by a factor of what you think a person who has a fraction of experience and emotional strength. Counterpoint: the very phenomenon you mention could be a consequence of overprotective parenting. By the age of 12, it's time to start explaining some uncomfortable things to your kids. Especially if you're going to let them interact with strangers (of any age) online.
  - 4y ago