On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:12:39 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

The message
from Stephen Howard contains these words:

On Thu, 26 May 2005 12:11:06 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

The message
from Alan Gould contains these words:


I recently received the following very pleasing e-mail:

Hi Alan, my name is Haydn Carter and I am from New Zealand. At my school
we are starting a compost heap and I was just wondering if you could
give me a few pointers on how to start one and what to use. I am 9 years
old and my mate Sam is helping me as well he to is 9.*** ***
*
I replied giving what information I could. It is always good to be able
to help and encourage youngsters into gardening.

It's lovely, but a bit worrying these days to think of a nine year
old striking up email contacts with complete strangers found on the
internet.

I get similar emails all the time, from minors asking for information
about taking up an instrument.
I tend to assume that the 'research' is done by a parent or guardian -
an assumption often confirmed by a subsequent email from said parents
or guardians thanking me for my time.

Better to live in hope than fear, and I'd certainly be more than happy
for my children to ask questions of someone like Alan.

Parents have no idea what kind of someone a complete stranger from
the internet is in real life. Even "familiar" newsgroup, messageboard
or chatroom appearances can mask a considerably different reality as
many have found.

Are you suggesting that Alan is, by day, mild-mannered Urgler - and by
night the mad axe-weilding maniac of ( insert name of town here )?

Real life is no different. How many people did Shipman kill?
How many people trusted Thomas Hamilton?
How many times have you heard it said "Well, I never would have
thought he was the type"?

Living involves risk, and we either teach our children ( and ourselves
) the skills to minimize that risk in order to live a full and
sociable life - or we resign ourselves to distrust and paranoia, and
become victims of our own accord...and all we really learn is how to
hide and lead theoretical lives.

Regards,




--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk