How open are you about what you do online with your parents?

[Brigade]

I don't tell my parents they think i talk to irl friends like 24/7 which I originally started doing but then I got on to the forums one day i made a forum account and applied for a clan Verzon by Frigid
And that's how i started talking yo strangers. I video called with numerous people I've done google hangouts with them and not all people are the 40 year old stalkers that some parents think they are.

 

[xStatiq]

My parents really dont know what I do online. Not because I do anything bad just that I really dont think they have much interest in it. My parents are not the smartest when it comes to the internet or high tech type of stuff. They know I like to game and they know that I meet people online and here me talking a alot.

 

[BritishShoop]

Yeah, they know that most of my friends are either American or Canadian, all from MCSG
They're cool with it, but thats mostly because they know that I know the internet well, and trust that I won't do anything stupid.
It's why I like my parents really, they've always been pretty 'controlling' you could say, but they also give me a nice bit of freedom, because they trust me.

 

[inconceivable81]

Once, about 2+ years ago... I've told my parents that I was talking to people that I don't know irl on Skype. They got really annoyed, so I continued talking to strangers, but now, when they aske who I am talking to, I say, "friends". They have no idea that I forum into the night. They have no idea that I have been playing on the same server for over 2 years. My parents think that I play a game where I place blocks whilst talking to friends.

Although I am reasonably clever (got into a great grammar school etc.), they think that I'll like find some 69-year-old, and tell him my address, where the keys are hidden, and the times when neither of my parents are home or something. Annoying, but I learnt to live with it. The key is to only tell my parents what they want to hear, like, "Mum! This person who's real name, age, or location I don't know is an irl friend!"

 

[Cherise]

They know nothing lol.

 

[Ginger]

My parents are absolutely fine with what I do. They have even talked to some of my friends (PixelPancake Aipom bobbybarker). They know I have told these people my full name, adress, and such. I brag to them about my VIP rank, winning diamond donor, owning a build team, wrecking max, etc. My dad is also obsessed with video games and plays games like Skyrim, Borderlands, and Fallout just about as much as i'm on here.

 

[bobbybarker]

Ginger think we could come kill you =}

 

[PixelPancake]

they know that i talk to people all over the place, and that i frequently show them my face and around my home.
i usually only do this with my partner in crime(love) Ginger

 

[TheRealAussie]

They know nothing lol.

Oh ya know, you can just tell them you have a boyfriend online. No biggie.

 

[PuffyCottonCandy]

I feel like parents are worried about us talking to "strangers" because they didn't grow up with the Internet. Today, we can talk to someone halfway across the world while playing in a virtual game by clicking a few buttons. Back then, there was none of that.

Anyway, my parents know that I play minecraft and talk to friends. The thing is, they think they're friends from school that I know in person. I'm too scared to tell them that I talk to people I don't know irl... However, I have told my parents about my youtube channel. I had to tell them when I was getting my partnership in order to set up PayPal, etc. My dad was actually really proud of me and quite interested by the fact that I could make money by uploading a video game on youtube. He asked me what my channel was but I said I didn't want to tell him. All I said was that "I record myself playing a game and upload it to youtube where people can watch it." I didn't tell him I talk to people on the Internet, go on the forums, etc. I would love to tell my parents about everything I do, but I'm too scared they will get upset and take everything away from me.

Thanks for making this thread duckluv, it's fun to see peoples' responses

My parents used to think they were school friends. But my mom started checking my skype on a weekly schedule which was kinda stressful for me since I cuss and stuff and my parents are hardcore catholics (im going off topic). So of course, my parents know I talk to strangers.

And they hate it.

Everyday my parents give me some outlandish, obviously ill-intentioned comment having to do with my "addiction" to this game. It's not even the game that I'm here for, its the people. And the way they tell me how they feel makes me feel so bad. And I have told them about the amazing people I've met in low hopes of them understanding my view, but they think that everyone I have on skype & talk to on ts and just only like me because I play this game with them. I disagree with this completely, of course, but really it makes me feel like crap, the rude comments that they intend towards me everyday of how i talk to "pedophilic strangers".

However, all the unreasonable sadness I get from that is worth it. I love so many people here and I can't imagine who I would be in real life without meeting them and playing this game.

 

[Mooclan]

My parents used to think they were school friends. But my mom started checking my skype on a weekly schedule which was kinda stressful for me since I cuss and stuff and my parents are hardcore catholics (im going off topic). So of course, my parents know I talk to strangers.

And they hate it.

Everyday my parents give me some outlandish, obviously ill-intentioned comment having to do with my "addiction" to this game. It's not even the game that I'm here for, its the people. And the way they tell me how they feel makes me feel so bad. And I have told them about the amazing people I've met in low hopes of them understanding my view, but they think that everyone I have on skype & talk to on ts and just only like me because I play this game with them. I disagree with this completely, of course, but really it makes me feel like crap, the rude comments that they intend towards me everyday of how i talk to "pedophilic strangers".

However, all the unreasonable sadness I get from that is worth it. I love so many people here and I can't imagine who I would be in real life without meeting them and playing this game.

That's really unfortunate.
I think a person's relationship between their parents and themselves should come before video games. (I should really follow my own advice..) So if you can find a way, you should probably have a long talk with them about exactly what you do. Go through your contacts list, and maybe have a tape recording of their voice (With their permission) And prove that it's not pedophiles, but actual people. If you want, I would be more than happy to write a few pages or paragraphs detailing my personal experience, as a testimony that I have never met any pedophiles, and have made many long time friends who helped me through my personal issues.

A low, but possibly effective, method to get them to understand that what you do gives you joy is to "fake" depression. It sounds really, really evil, I know. Just minor depression to your parents. Whenever they comment about your "addiction", start tearing up, maybe crying a little bit. I don't know how empathetic/sympathetic your parents are, but if they are, then they might see that their comments are hurting you on the inside. If they're not, then don't try this.
***I do take depression seriously. It's not something to be joked about.

Edit: You can also try to explain that as Catholics, they should be compassionate and be supportive of what you want, not hard-hearted. I have to go now, but you can try to think of ways to elaborate on that. k thnx bai

 

[Giggity69Goo]

My parents hated that I would spend endless hours on the computer. But they always heard me talking to lot's of people and they decided to try and learn the whole system. I told them about Teamspeak and Skype friends, and the different powers of mcsg (meaning ranks such as member, iron donor, moderator, etc. ) It get's pretty hectic trying to explain everything XD