how do you explain to a seven year old dd why you don't want them to google "girls kissing"?

[hatwoman]

I found a list of rather choice phrases clearly picked up from the internet in dd's handwriting. we had a chat but I found myself struggling. I said there were all sorts of things on the internet that I didn;t want her to see, pictures of sex (she knows what that is), but she said "but what can be wrong with people kissing". so my predicament is how to explain porn and why it's not all that suitable for a 7 year old without giving the impression that there's something bad about sex? or, for that matter, girls kissing?

can you fix the settings to protect her from stuff that you don't want her surfing? lots of information around on this if u need help. I have 7 yr old DS but he doesn't use the internet, i think he'll be rationed to CBBC etc when he does....

thanks gigglewitch - I can indeed fix teh settings, and get prtective software - but my question isn;t really how can I stop her seeing stuff - it's much more about how do I explain to her? how do I explain that porn is not a good thing for a 7 year old? how do I explain what porn is?

You need a web filter.
This is good

p.s. would it be worth explaining to DD that there are laws which protect children and this means that parents have to make sure that their computer doesn't show a child something that might scare/worry them... something along those lines? it isn't too specific but gives her the idea that there are things out there that she wouldn't want to see ? ?

I dont think you really should explain what porn is to a 7 year old. It should suffice to say that there are some things adults do that is not suitable for children, and you have no control over what she may find on the internet when she goes googling, a lot may be very frigthening for children to see.

Until you get software, you can change the settings of your browser.

I wouldn't explain porn to my 7 yr old. divert the discussion into the purpose of the filters instead

gigglewitch - not a bad idea. Scarynight the thing is she rather stopped me in my tracks by saying "what can be wrong with people kissing" - it's a valid question. and I believe very strongly in answering questions in a relevant and appropriate manner. just not sure what the relevant and appropriate manner is in this case....

I think gigglewitch has inspired me though

let me reprhase my q - I guess it's less how do you explain what porn is, more how do you explain what it is you don't want them to see and why you don't want them to see it... she's the kind of girl that needs a proper answer (also this wasn't at my house - it was at a friends)

ooohh glad to have inspired you

it's a really hard question, deciding what they need to know and when, especially when they ask things that actually are valid questions but they obv have no clue what a can of worms they have opened. Chances are she may have forgotten the connection between the issue of kissing (which you can answer quite honestly from your own values) and googling - which you can also answer without using the same subject matter as before i.e. sex. IYSWIM?
I will be in the same situation (internet and 7 yr old) very soon and they are so wise yet innocent
i'm rambling, i'll go. good luck with your internet safety for DD!