<p>Back in the old days 
when I got my first computer and discovered online message boards and (later) chat rooms, it seemed that mostly people who struggled with their social skills were the ones online, therefore those early message boards parties I went to were attended by a generally very socially awkward group of people with a healthy dose of weirdos. </p>
<p>In 2006 almost everyone is online so you’re bound to meet a nice cross-section of people. But, I still find myself worried about my kid’s online friendships and “relationships.” She does fine with in-person relationships but still prefers meeting people online and her friends in the computer (whether they’re local or not) are as important to her as the friends she sees regularly in-person. Have the young and old in this audience met and formed close relationships with people they know only online? What do you think of it? Should I relax?</p>
<p>Well, for all of us grown folks, going online is just a little diversion when it pertains to things which are not academic in nature. </p>
<p>You know, you can be grown and go on this site a bit or a site which pertains to one of your hobbies. </p>
<p>But, with the youngsters you have to be careful because of how there are a lot of really odd folks on the web who like children in a bad way. That is where parental filters come into play and all of that.</p>
<p>I think that if you have a child who is creating a world within a world with all of the things online and whatnot, then you have to figure out a way to put that child in something steady like scouting. </p>
<p>You sound like a really nice person newatthis06. So, I am sure you can work something out.</p>
<p>Thanks for taking the time to respond, merlinjones. I guess I should have pointed out that my kid is almost 16. She has had her fill of scouting over the years 
but she is still involved in ordinary activities, takes a lot of dance, does well in school, etc. She finds the people she meets online to sometimes be brighter than average and less “shallow”, even though they’re her age.</p>
<p>Well, newatthis06, that is all good and well, but it is best to be careful to make sure noone is trying to do anything unGODly. I mean, on the web, anyone can claim to be 16 or 17 years old, you know? You have to be careful. </p>
<p>There is something which tracks what all your kid does online, but I forgot the name of it. </p>
<p>It is just better to be safe than sorry with certain things, you know?</p>