How do you enforce an internet ban?

[Barb D]

I've seen mention here, I think, of banning teens from the internet as a disciplinary measure. Just hypothetically speaking here, how do you enforce such a ban when, say, the teen gets home from school before you get home from work?

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

 

[mytwotinks]

Take the keyboard to work with you!

 

[Sparx]

take the keyboard with you. you can do alot without a mouse. not without a keyboard.

 

[TheBellhop]

How about you disconnect the computer plug, pull a hair out of your head, and use saliva to place the hair on the plug. Then, when you come home, check to see if the hair was moved on the plug.

 

[sweet angel]

Password the computer and disable the "guest account".

 

[Sandy V.]

I've seen people put a password block on their computer preventing its use without the "magic word", or, in severe cases, the enforcer actually takes one of the required cables to work with them so the computer won't work at all. I don't know if you could set it up so you could only block internet access but still use word processing capabilities.

 

[lemondog]

I was going to suggest putting a password protect on your computer, but I like the keyboard idea! Hehe.

 

[Barb D]

Taking the keyboard (or in this hypothetical case, the laptops) to work would, hypothetically of course, also punish anyone else in the family who gets home before the enforcer. Including the enforcer's hypothetical spouse.

The password idea is good... The teen in question could ask to be logged on to do schoolwork.

 

[Crankyshank]

A friend of mine has her router set up to email her at work with an hourly summary of internet activity

 

[HOGFAN]

McAfee has a program where you have to have a password to log in and it blocks questionable sites.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

A friend of mine has her router set up to email her at work with an hourly summary of internet activity

Ohh, I like!

 

[Southern4sure]

Password the computer and disable the "guest account".

Yep, this is what we did and it works great!

 

[tmt martins]

Password the computer and disable the "guest account".

This is what we do and if it's just an internet ban (bad grades) I just remove the wireless adapter and put it in the safe

 

[Pin Wizard]

My sister always took the keyboard.

 

[mytwotinks]

Never mind. I read something wrong

 

[va32h]

Taking the keyboard (or in this hypothetical case, the laptops) to work would, hypothetically of course, also punish anyone else in the family who gets home before the enforcer. Including the enforcer's hypothetical spouse.

But that is sometimes the price we have to pay when disciplining our hypothetical children.

We've all had to leave nice meals in restaurants, leave museums that we were enjoying, leave parties, cancel plans that we would have enjoyed etc. in the name of punishment.

Besides, the guilt factor can be piled on top of the punishmen ("No one can use the computer in the afternoon because of your behavior!"

Is the computer in a room that could be locked? Taking the keyboard and mouse would make the computer useless, and those items could be kept in the car of the spouse who gets home first.

 

[monarchsfan16]

It was the honor system in my house. My mom never laid a hand on me EVER during childhood, but I was definitely scared of making her mad. Well...I guess I should say I didn't want to disappoint her. And I knew if I was caught on the computer, the punishment would increase (the sister and stepsister loved to rat me out )
My stepdad also kept track of the order he left websites in that pull down bar, and did bust me one time for that one (although in my defense, the grounding was over; no one had told me it was a permanent ban from his computer)

 

[EthansMom]

Our computer is password protected to keep DS4 from using the computer without an adult around. He knows how to turn the computer on and use it, but doesn't know the password.

 

[agnes!]

Hypothetically (of course), I like the idea of taking the keyboard and keeping the keyboard in the custody of a responsible adult. Also, anything that would temporarily disable the monitor, like taking a connector cable with you when you leave the house, would be good as well
And, hypothetically, if you wanted to be really sneaky, I would make this mythic teenager promise not to use the computer and then disable it when they're not around.
The passwords are good, unless they really understand computers and have hacker tendencies.
Do they have a computer in their bedroom? And what they might be getting punished for is really major? Then maybe take their personal computer *away* & allow them to perhaps earn it back.

The Internet ban would be difficult in our house, mostly because so much of my DD's research for school projects/papers is done on the Internet plus the teachers often put assignments on their school homework system. When she gets home, DD has to sign in with her password and see what the assignments are.

Good Luck! Parenting isn't for sissies, is it...
agnes!

 

[Marseeya]

Taking the keyboard (or in this hypothetical case, the laptops) to work would, hypothetically of course, also punish anyone else in the family who gets home before the enforcer. Including the enforcer's hypothetical spouse.

The password idea is good... The teen in question could ask to be logged on to do schoolwork.

Been there, done that!

DH changed the password on the computer during one of DS's punishments. The only problem is, he has a pretty bad spelling problem. He verbally told me the password, but I never thought to ask how he spelled it. DUH! I couldn't get hold of him at work, and boy was he in some major trouble when he got home!