This is for any of you who fear my boy may learn more verbiage from your sites than I might approve.

First thing to keep in mind is that he is home schooled. If he were in public school (or private for that matter at this age!) he would be in middle school now - 6th grade. When most of us were in school that was still elementary, as I believe it should still be. But now 11 year olds are folded in with 13 year olds in Middle School. Remember what the general conversation between boys that age would consist of? How often would a smuggled copy of pr0n be the contraband of choice? My bet is that sort of thing is still the norm - and have you listened to the music these kids follow? Or the movies they discuss? The actors they follow-Brittney Spears? P A- L E S E! One of the host of reasons I home school is to maintain some degree of control over this sort of exposure. Kids today are not allowed to be kids for nearly long enough. They only get one crack at it, and I jealously guard the right mine have to those precious few years.

But of course the first comment anyone and everyone has to the idea of homeschooling is "socialisation", and being able to handle the "real world." Just because I try to keep him/them from porn, trashy language, trashy music, and pants around their knees does not mean I shelter him/them from reality. By no means is this the case. I actually use every example of such we run across as a teachable moment. I generally point out these sorts of things when we come across them and explain why someone would behave this way, and why they are wrong to do so. We discuss it all. That way my chickadees are aware of uncivilized behavior and are armed with the tools to resist following the lead of such examples. It is not that I try to shelter him but that I want to be the one who influences his perceptions of the world and the behavior of those around him, both good and bad.

How does this apply to you all? Well for starters you are all adults and he knows that. He knows that some things are more acceptable for adults than for kids. He knows that I will turn him every which way but loose if I hear certain words pass his lips, simply because he is still young. He understands that we use certain expletives at certain times to make a pithy point, but that he may not do the same. Add to that he does not read the comments, which is where the majority of pithiness tends to appear. He knows that what we write is not necessarily the way we would speak in public, just 'cause some of you use F Oprah regularly on line does not mean you walk about saying it! Look at your posts my dear friends - most of what goes up there are photographs (of dogs, flowers, and family for the most part), news reports, and well thought out intelligent commentary on the moronic behavior of the "leaders" of our country, or better yet commentary on the moronic writing and ranting of those who claim to be journalists. These are not things from which I need to shield him. These are the things I want him to see and hear. You are the sort of Americans I want him to be aware of. You are good people, caring people, patriotic people. You are the good stuff that makes this country great. Maybe you get frustrated, but usually for very good reason - the same reasons he actually hears me rant.

Of course there are a couple on my list of links that he has been advised not to check, ever, without asking me first :) And he actually listens to me so I don't worry too much.

So, please, don't let it cross your mind that my 11 year old might be reading you today - after all, this stuff is on the net, someone else's 7 year old might be reading it ;)