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Neighbour won’t change Wi-Fi password

347 replies

bluestoneboys · 27/11/2024 20:46

Backstory - I get on pretty well with my neighbour, kids same age etc and my son used to go to school with them and loves to go over and hang out on occasion, while he was over there, neighbour let him use the Wi-Fi and he memorised the password (they know his history etc and that he has a brain like a sponge and a photographic memory)
now I can’t keep him off the Wi-Fi (at home he’s only ever had access to my personal hotspot so that I can completely limit access)
eventually I plan on getting him an iPad (probably for Christmas) so that I can download apps that can keep him safe as he’s permanently screaming at me when I say no YouTube etc as I don’t think it is appropriate for an 8yo
Now I’ve sussed out that he’s been hooked up to her Wi-Fi for about 2 weeks and has been sneaking time on his laptop overnight which fills me with anxiety about what he’s possibly doing on there. But she’s said she can’t change the password as that is too complicated etc
obv I know he’s my responsibility but given everything else he’s got going on and neighbour is aware I found it quite odd that she couldn’t change it in an effort to 1) stop him freeloading off her and 2) keep him safe
as of today I’ve now removed his laptop from him completely as it’s the only option I have currently to stop him, but he’s been flat out screaming and shouting for an hour now because his laptop is ‘very special’ to him as it’s where he stores all his work for homeschooling and also pictures of his pets (especially ones who have died) and he can get quite sentimental and sees this as a bit of an attack from me now
AIBU to ask her to change it to something he doesn’t know or was I out of line?

OP posts:
bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:58

Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:57

But would it help?

Wouldn't he just get stressed at the password no longer working? And then asking his good friend, the neighbour's son, for the new password?

It wasn’t the child who gave out the password - it was the neighbour herself

OP posts:
Aliflowers · 28/11/2024 19:58

https://www.wikihow.com/Block-a-WiFi-Network-on-PC-or-Mac

Here’s a wiki link. I’m assuming because you said laptop it’s a windows based device

Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:57

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:55

I feel that a lot of people on here are completely ignorant to what the effects that the trauma of being sexually abused for your entire childhood so far actually could be. Anyone who sees this as a simple problem or me being a lazy parent should know that they’re incredibly lucky. But unfortunately you’re also probably in the group of people who stand, stare and gossip. Parents telling their kids to stay away from my son were a huge part of the bullying that made him feel he wanted to die and were later heard saying‘it’s for the best’ when we ended up in hospital. I can say for sure if a neighbour came to me and I knew this was the story with their child, I’d do anything I could to help.

But would it help?

Wouldn't he just get stressed at the password no longer working? And then asking his good friend, the neighbour's son, for the new password?

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:56

Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:46

Can you lock the laptop in a car or somewhere?

Yes, have done that, also had friends pick it up, but I have a heavy alarm system on the house due to him then trying to escape, if he knows he can’t get it he will hurt himself

OP posts:
Aliflowers · 28/11/2024 19:55

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:39

But also he still knows the password regardless

Block the network on the device. Problem solved. Don’t disconnect it where he can reconnect. Block it full stop. A quick google search will show you how

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:55

I feel that a lot of people on here are completely ignorant to what the effects that the trauma of being sexually abused for your entire childhood so far actually could be. Anyone who sees this as a simple problem or me being a lazy parent should know that they’re incredibly lucky. But unfortunately you’re also probably in the group of people who stand, stare and gossip. Parents telling their kids to stay away from my son were a huge part of the bullying that made him feel he wanted to die and were later heard saying‘it’s for the best’ when we ended up in hospital. I can say for sure if a neighbour came to me and I knew this was the story with their child, I’d do anything I could to help.

OP posts:
Wellingtonspie · 28/11/2024 19:47

Laptop. Remove the battery and basically take it to bed with you.

Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:46

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:44

I do supervise the access that I allow. He steals, in any way possible, because currently his brain Can’t cope without keeping secrets, due to abuse. So no matter what I do with it he will either steal it or hurt himself trying.

Can you lock the laptop in a car or somewhere?

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:44

Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:40

I'm not saying to give him an an iPad early, I'm saying you should bear the inconvenience of supervising your son's access on the laptop for a month instead of expecting your neighbour to change her password so save you a job.

I do supervise the access that I allow. He steals, in any way possible, because currently his brain Can’t cope without keeping secrets, due to abuse. So no matter what I do with it he will either steal it or hurt himself trying.

OP posts:
Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:40

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:39

Yes I’m doing that, but Christmas is a month away and I can’t currently afford to just give him an iPad for bants 🙃

I'm not saying to give him an an iPad early, I'm saying you should bear the inconvenience of supervising your son's access on the laptop for a month instead of expecting your neighbour to change her password so save you a job.

Wellingtonspie · 28/11/2024 19:40

Just set a new rule. Laptop stays on dining table/coffee table. Only used between X and Y hours.

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:39

Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:37

If you're replacing the laptop with a new tablet then you don't need the neighbour to change her password. Buy a tablet that you can control.

But also he still knows the password regardless

OP posts:
bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:39

Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:37

If you're replacing the laptop with a new tablet then you don't need the neighbour to change her password. Buy a tablet that you can control.

Yes I’m doing that, but Christmas is a month away and I can’t currently afford to just give him an iPad for bants 🙃

OP posts:
Dimpliy · 28/11/2024 19:37

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:34

It’s instead of a laptop. He’s in therapy and a requirement of the therapy is access to certain apps, if I fail to meet this need then SS aren’t happy.

If you're replacing the laptop with a new tablet then you don't need the neighbour to change her password. Buy a tablet that you can control.

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 19:34

Balloonhearts · 28/11/2024 15:46

And a tablet for Christmas apparently. If ge couldn't be trusted with the laptop I'd not be buying a bloody tablet.

It’s instead of a laptop. He’s in therapy and a requirement of the therapy is access to certain apps, if I fail to meet this need then SS aren’t happy.

OP posts:
Balloonhearts · 28/11/2024 15:46

XenoBitch · 28/11/2024 01:56

A laptop... for an 8 year old. Surely a basic tablet is more age appropriate...and easier to set parental controls on.

And a tablet for Christmas apparently. If ge couldn't be trusted with the laptop I'd not be buying a bloody tablet.

CheesecakeTheCapybara · 28/11/2024 08:26

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 07:16

Yes ND and SA victim, and also the only electronic device he has access to currently

This sounds really difficult I went through SA, emotional dysregulation and self harm too as a young child but not with ADHD to cope with as well. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you. Wish I had some tech advice but I'm not at all savvy in that area.

Flowers
bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 08:00

Cosyblankets · 28/11/2024 07:55

So if you lock it away he hurts himself trying to get to it?
So what if he has the laptop and he can't get on the Internet? What's going to happen then?

Nothing, he just plays on paint or writes stories on word… he just likes the laptop, likes pretending he’s at work in an office etc, when he’s got SW or police round he likes to copy them as they bring them too, it’s just that him having the internet is a problem that until she gave out her password, I had successfully avoided

OP posts:
bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 07:57

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 28/11/2024 07:48

That is unfortunate. Your neighbour wouldn’t be open to blocking bis device from connecting her router, I’d assume?

have you informed your neighbour of the risk associated with him using the internet? Technically he could be accessing illegal website, spreading malware to their devices… I am not saying that he would do these things. But he could.

But you may end up in a bit of a dispute with your neighbours… I‘m not sure if I’d want to take that risk, tbh.

I feel incredibly sorry for your DS. But I’m honestly unsure whether there’s any other solution. And if he’s memorised the password he could simply reconnect with another device…

Yes the password is basically etched into his brain now so it’s a bit of a nightmare, I only ever allowed him my phone’s hotspot before this and don’t have Wi-Fi for this reason, as I can just turn it off and that’s the end of that 😪 but had no idea she’d given him Wi-Fi access

OP posts:
Cosyblankets · 28/11/2024 07:55

So if you lock it away he hurts himself trying to get to it?
So what if he has the laptop and he can't get on the Internet? What's going to happen then?

DaisyChain505 · 28/11/2024 07:50

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 07:38

Yes unfortunately he’s not going to be having it back due to this now but it’s just sad for him in a way as he sees it as an attack, he’s been sat on paint etc because he wanted to ‘design’ Christmas cards etc for his friends
we don’t have any other screens (bar my phone which is necessary) so he’s hardly spoiled in that dept, he took 3 tvs to pieces to ‘find the little people inside’ before I decided against buying a new one

Design Christmas cards on paper, like kids usually do and is much better for him than using a screen.

keep the laptop in your bed at night if needs be. Put it in a high cupboard, under the sofa etc.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 28/11/2024 07:48

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 07:38

Yes unfortunately he’s not going to be having it back due to this now but it’s just sad for him in a way as he sees it as an attack, he’s been sat on paint etc because he wanted to ‘design’ Christmas cards etc for his friends
we don’t have any other screens (bar my phone which is necessary) so he’s hardly spoiled in that dept, he took 3 tvs to pieces to ‘find the little people inside’ before I decided against buying a new one

That is unfortunate. Your neighbour wouldn’t be open to blocking bis device from connecting her router, I’d assume?

have you informed your neighbour of the risk associated with him using the internet? Technically he could be accessing illegal website, spreading malware to their devices… I am not saying that he would do these things. But he could.

But you may end up in a bit of a dispute with your neighbours… I‘m not sure if I’d want to take that risk, tbh.

I feel incredibly sorry for your DS. But I’m honestly unsure whether there’s any other solution. And if he’s memorised the password he could simply reconnect with another device…

Hoardasurass · 28/11/2024 07:43

@bluestoneboys a couple of points
1, a 10-15 year old laptop that runs on windows does have parental controls which allow you to lockdown the laptop during set times (I did it with my old laptop when I gave it to my dd 16 years ago)
2, if you can't figure out how to do that then either password protect the entire laptop and don't give him the password you just put it in when he's allowed use of it
3, when he smashes things because you have locked down or removed the laptop you keep it for an extra 24 hours.
4, repeat step 3 as often as necessary until it sinks in

I know that you will be feeling battered by this thread but your doing yourself and your son a major disservice by teaching him that he doesn't need to follow your rules and allowing him to temper tantrum without consequences (smash things) because you've removed something that he wants. As for the self harm you need to sit him down and explain that you are removing the laptop at night every night because you love him. I know it's going to be hard with a lot of push back since this behaviour wasn't tackled when he was a toddler but he's only 8 so it can be successfully done now but it's last chance saloon for you if you don't start now in another year or two it won't. I say this as a parent of a child with asd, adhd and a whole host of other issues who has delt with this sort of thing. Firm rules and set consequences will help in the long-term

bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 07:38

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 28/11/2024 07:34

ah, fair enough.bYou‘re therefore aware of private browsing, using different browsers, selectively deleting parts of your browser history, using various apps etc.

I would change the password if I was your neighbour. But your neighbour(s) won’t, which is understandable as well.

You will therefore need to find other ways to manage your DS’s access to the internet. And yes, I would lock his laptop away if he „steals“ it during the night.

Could you do a bit of a digital / screen detox? Preferably for the entire family?

Yes unfortunately he’s not going to be having it back due to this now but it’s just sad for him in a way as he sees it as an attack, he’s been sat on paint etc because he wanted to ‘design’ Christmas cards etc for his friends
we don’t have any other screens (bar my phone which is necessary) so he’s hardly spoiled in that dept, he took 3 tvs to pieces to ‘find the little people inside’ before I decided against buying a new one

OP posts:
bluestoneboys · 28/11/2024 07:35

Whyherewego · 28/11/2024 07:33

Makes literally zero odds on a laptop that old

My mum literally just had it repaired for him, the guy that did it asked if I had put it in the freezer 🙃

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