Is this question really on topic here?

Question

I wanted to ask the community's opinion on this question: How to get a 15 yr old started with a computer?.

I don't feel this question is on-topic here. It might be a fine line to walk, but it was asked by a non-relative, who wasn't going to be involved in this kid's life at all. It was basically a question by someone asking for recommendations for software.

We do want to increase the number of questions here, I understand that. And not all the questions asked by parents here are about parenting. But how do we define what legitimately belongs here? I will probably need to go back and do some reading about this site as well.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Edited to add: I do think questions asked by persons acting in loco parentis are more acceptable (babysitters, au pairs, nannies, etc.) The problem (for me, not necessarily others) is that there was no hint of this in this case.

Answer 1

I think it was on topic, and in large part because it wasn't primarily a request for software. The question as I interpreted it was simply, how do you get a child started on a computer. It didn't actually include a request for software, note: it was a request for "Books, methods, or schedule", as well as "how to track their progress". None of those are necessarily software. I chose to include some suggestions organized around software, because I felt that was the best way to explain methods - but I mostly avoided naming specific software, except when it was the easiest way to explain what I mean so I was clear. I also only answered the question in part, because I don't have much experience teaching children [given mine are below keyboard-using age] - I would've hoped another would have that experience.

To me, it didn't matter that it wasn't a parent, although I understand the concern that it wasn't. The question would've been the same if asked by a parent, and we've constantly stretched 'parenting' to include parenting-like activities (and including parent-child relationships from the child's point of view, for example, which I think is much less on-topic than this type of question). Questions about 'how do I deal with my sister's kid who behaves very badly' and such are on topic, for example. My feeling on these questions is that if the activity consists of:

• Acting in loco parentis in some fashion (for example, an aunt who babysits during the workday)
• A skill that is normally associated with parenting (teaching a child good behavior, for example)
• A question that, if you changed the author to a parent of the child, would not be substantively different (this question)
• A child's relationship with his/her parent (this I don't entirely agree with, but it's clearly on topic from what we've allowed/accepted here in the past)

Then they should be on topic here, despite not technically being a question from a parent.

Answer 2

IMHO it was more than a question about software.

Yes, it was bordering off-topic, because there was very little obvious constant "parenting" involved. But I am willing to accept the good intentions of someone, who, after this initial question, might even be tempted to follow up on his first help towards the teen.

We have accepted other questions (like this and this), that deal with similar questions, but on a technically more advanced level.

But most important: What I essentially read in the question discussed here, is an attempt to help a young man from underpriviledged circumstances to get a head start in his society. And OP has choosen a reasonable / feasible approach - so clearly a "parenting" situation.