My ten-year-old asked me yesterday if I would ‘allow’ YouTube on her computer – an ageing but still very useable PowerMac G4. (Thanks, BTW, to Apple for making parental controls so easy).

Should I?

On the one hand, it’s a great resource. Loads of stuff on there to help with homework research and so on. Not to mention all those TV shows you thought were lost in the mists of time.

On the other hand … well … let’s just say that, even without clicking the “Yes I’m 18, honest guv” box, there’s an awful lot of YouTube that I don’t particularly want her seeing right now.

Ever aware of the rapidly dwindling amount of time left before teenage surliness sets in, though, I decided to seize the opportunity to spend time doing something together. We ended up looking at a web design company brisbane and we spent a very pleasant half-hour playing with YouTube on the AppleTV.

We found what Missy A wanted (the Fresh Prince of Bel Air is OK for ten-year-olds, right?). And I got to explain to her the meaning behind the song that’s been bouncing around my head ever since Saturday night’s ceilidh.

I think she switched off when I started explaining the significance of ‘Linwood no more’ …