I mean anyone pre college age and still under their parents authority.
Well, I have three high schoolers at home right now. All of them have school assignments that require the use of the internet. All of them have friends scattered around the country and globe and use it to keep in touch with them.
Do they “have to” keep in touch with friends? No, of course not. But I think that it’s good that they do so.
Do they “have to” do their school assignments? Absolutely.
Yes, sometimes my kids use the net for “play,” and yes, perhaps there are other options available for that. I should point out that my kids do a lot of play away from the net as well — board games are a strong component of parent-child bonding in my household.
Your question of “What does a frum yeshivah kid ‘need’ or have on the internet?” and follow-up sentences implies that there is no need whatsoever. I disagree. Of course, that doesn’t mean carte blanche either — like everything else in life, there is a happy medium.
I’d rather my kids retain their childhood friendships rather than lose them. I’d rather my kids be able to keep in touch with family around the globe. And I’d rather they learn to use the Internet responsibly. And I’d definitely rather they be able to do their homework.
Of course, that’s what I determined is right for *my* kids. YMMV for your own.
The Wolf