I Am Not In Disney's Circle

Nope, I’m not in Disney’s Circle.  Most of you are not either.  Most of you who do not have children at home, you empty nester types, may not even know that Disney has a circle.  The circle is actually a cube you plug into your computer, so it’s already a misnomer, but I will not be picky here.  The circle actually refers to those in your home (so I guess those in my circle of loved ones) who you wish to protect and use parental controls on.

My dear, sweet vanillee friend informed me about Disney Circle, thinking it would be so helpful for our kids.  Well, us parents really.  It helps you protect your little ones from locating things on the internet that they are too young to understand or do not need to be exposed to.  I got that part, the logistical and set up parts so went over my head, but being the good momma that I am I figured Hoss may able to handle that part of the equation.  So I forwarded him the link that my friend had sent me and voila!  The man goes out and purchases this thing.  Then the man hooks it up.  No worries, we have talked about establishing parental controls before on our children’s tablets and the laptops, so I was not concerned.  Oh, boy, I should have been!

You know what circle does?  It keeps the kids from reading, watching, etc. bad things on the internet. I am happy to prevent our children from “bad” things on the internet. Limiting their time on the computer or tablets to a decent amount each day.   Circle cuts them off when their time limit is up. Want to go to a website that seems innocent, but is not.  Does not allow access.  It really is a great and useful tool.  Until…..

You all know where this is going right?

Me, well, I had no idea the man was getting so much control.  He can shut the kids’ tablets down with one click of the phone for not completing chores or schoolwork.  He can limit the time they have access to the internet.  It truly is an amazing way to keep the time limit for the kids and to keep them from wandering into areas that their young minds are unable to process.  Except, I did not realize what also could happen.  Until…...

Guess who’s phone can also be shut down?

Guess who’s laptop can also be turned off?

No blogging.  No reading blogs.  No commenting.  No Facebook.  No messenger!  No internet!  No surfing for recipes or news articles.  Nothing.  Nada.  I was trying hard to remain calm.  Had he intentionally done this?  Surely not, I’m an adult after all.  Yes, well, there are days I do not wish to adult, but that is not typically the case.  I can monitor my own internet time and which websites I choose to visit.

Guess who was a sputtering wet hen when it happened?

Yup, me, you guess it!  Me!  It was not a pretty, sweet conversation, but a very upset, trying to bite her tongue wife and not explode when I called to say, “Sweet man, in your head of household role you cut me off of the internet!”  He was not as shocked as I was, but reassured me it was unintentional.  He was labeling each device and had not realized my phone was not one of the kiddos devices.  But the groundwork was set when he realized the potential.  He could limit my time on the internet.  He could limit where I visited.  He could do the same thing we were doing for the kids.  Plus, he had the control.  No fancy little control button permitted for this wife.

(This is not the Disney circle rating, but you get the idea)

Additionally, there are ratings as to what is allowed.  Think PG-13 or R, well, most of your blogs fall in those categories.  My dismay was heartfelt when I could not visit for a few days until the situation was remedied because he was working late and could not come home and figure out which device my phone actually was on the circle.  I plead my case that I need not have my phone within the circle.  That went unheeded, but I did get my ratings removed.  I had to go with no rating at all simply because some of the blogs literally would not come up under the adult rating.

(okay, maybe not, but that's a cute idea!)

Now, I can go anywhere online when I want as long as I am not in trouble.  I’m good with that, mostly.  He said that would change when summer ended.  See Hoss figured it out from my reaction over the loss of the internet and blogland for a few days that sometimes spanking is not the only thing to get my attention.  I always lived under the belief that he could not take my phone away due to me needing it for emergencies.  Well, he can now “shut” my phone down to anything except the use of my cell phone and texts.  So, wish me luck folks.  I have a feeling my submission will find an all new level if he takes my phone away, but hey, maybe it will help, as I am quite addicted to my phone.

I’m curious, who, if any of you have experienced a “grounding” from the phone as a form of discipline or removal of phone privileges for misbehavior.  Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

By the way, if this is a bit sloppy, my apologies.  I'm trying to get this finished and posted before a soccer game tonight and I'm not sure when I will have a chance to get back to it.

--Baker