Very disturbing

I was going to write this funny post about how I have been trying to learn to crochet lately...feeling like I have two left hands, doubting what on earth would posses me to take this up at age 35 (feeling quite old as I attempt this new hobby) - ultimately it was my sweet Gracie that motivated me because she wanted to learn, but was told that she couldn't do the class because she was too young.

So I thought, huh...forget them... I'd take matters into my own hands, learn it real quick myself and tah-dah...teach her. Jokes on me! Thankfully a sweet and patient 12 year old girl sat with me yesterday and taught me, thank you Reilly! Did I mention it was my second time being taught?

Well as I said, I was going to blog about this funny (and frustrating) experience, but something literally happened between my crochet practice for the afternoon and me getting on my computer.

While babies were sleeping, boys were gone and I was crocheting, Gracie was playing on the computer. This is a favorite thing for her to do. She likes Starfall, PBS Kids, Nick Jr., Playhouse Disney, Sheppard Software etc. (In my mind, all quite safe and educational). We have Internet blocker on our computer, actually a Christian Internet blocker (not sure if that qualifies it as more of a strict blocker than others or not). What I do know is that I trusted it and felt comfortable with her playing.

Naive me!

Recently she found a cooking games for girls website that she likes. She plays cooking games on the Princess and the Frog game on the Wii and loves it. We found this cute website - it had Strawberry Shortcake cooking games...looked decent. I'm very particular about what my kids play on the Internet and I knew we had the B-safe blocker so I was okay.

Naive me!

Come to find out there are "dress up dating" games on this site. There are "kissing at work" games. Need I go on? And she had been playing them. I was horrified! I felt sick. She was embarrassed and crying when I saw her playing them.

My first reaction was bad mommy to not be more thorough, bad mommy to not check in on her new website games, bad mommy to let a six year old on the Internet at all!!! We talked about it, she was honest (thankfully) after some gentle prompting. She thinks her daddy is going to kill her. I am so disappointed...in myself, in her, in the stupid Internet blocker, in the website, in general.

My husband reminded me that this is how they trap young kids on the Internet. They design it as a kids website. They market it as innocent little games. All this so the filters/blockers won't block it and my six year old can play a game where barely dressed women are making out on dates or in their offices.

And people question why I'm so strict with my kids on the Internet, TV and with movies...well guess what, it's gonna get a lot worse, sorry kids!