When You Are Oppressed, Or Ten Weighty Reasons for Teenagers and Their Parents

[Amanaduial the archer]

(- hey, mom (dad, uncle, yer honour, reverend Brown), I've found the candy which is tasty and wholesome!
- Can't be, there is no wholesome candies!
- But look, here, look at the list of its properties which are good for you
- What list? Lemme see, um, er, yes, but is it, really?
- And the list is approved of by Co7A, who is parent and teacher herself, and this H-I chap who made it is only 31.3% geek and works in a bank, and is a swimmer and has a Master's degree (I know I'm vain, but it for the sake of the Case ) And I've already done my homework, made 10 pull-ups on the bar out there and focused on Mr Grey's car, which is 200 yards away for the whole of ten minutes!
- Allright, since it is so wholesome, er, um, I suppose you may have it...)

Ah, but amusing though that arguement is, Heren, it actually doesn't strengthen the case for some parents. For example, about a year and a half ago, when I was in a particularly good mood at the Downs (just over a year and a half actually - January '03?), and so Mother went through the mandatory dangers-of-the-internet-there-are-all-sorts-of-people-out-there talk. I decided not to mention that yes, I know that, a helluva lot of them go to my school, and instead took the tack that those of them who I talk to in PM or email knew only what I disclosed, and that was very little; and that I knew bits and pieces about them. When The Suspicious Parent asked what sort of things, I then went on to say that most lived in America (true of the people I talked to at the time) and a few ages.

The Parent was shocked - I was talking to people 'somewhat older' than myself. She asked in horror how did I know they didn't fit into the category of dangers-of-the-internet-there-are-all-sorts-of-people-out-there, and in my defence I said no! I mean, for example, one of them is an international lawyer! (There, I just gave away the member's identity, didn't I? )

Oddly, I don't think this helped matters. You see, The Suspicious Parent is a strange species: disclose information meant to reassure her, and what she actually hears is that you have disclosed the same sort of information and more to All Sorts on the internet. Hrm. And this does make things rather difficult. What's more, I don't like my parents to come on the forum - not for any sort of reason against you, dear readers, simply because I don't like them reading my writing - I get seriously embarassed. This doesn't exactly look good to The Suspicious Parent, I suppose...

Still, as yet, I have only been banned once, and that was from the internet in general. It was just after my parents got the internet bill *winces* But they have no quarrel with an alleged Tolkien forum which I use primarily for writing: I have always liked creative writing, and I think the Downs may, yes, have helped. The fundamental issue is, and always will be, trust.