Facebook is something that everyone is on these days. But what about children and Facebook? Facebook rules state that a person must beat least 13 years old in order to have an account. However many parents allow their children to have accounts. Ours do not and will not until we feel that it is appropriate. My sister in-law will not allow Reese to have a Facebook account either although he has asked for one.
I have seen many things written on Facebook by young kids. They talk about how devastating their days were. Sometimes I want to say “Really! How bad can it be for a second grader?” I remember second grade and it was pretty great compared to being an adult. Other times I have heard about cyber bullying. The best advice I have ever heard about this is simply turn off the computer. I know it is easier said than done. We are so connected to the online world that we have forgotten to teach our children how to interact and more importantly the meaning of the word discretion. I know that my sister puts everything about her life on Facebook and while it is great to catch up with her does the world really need to know every single detail?
I read my nieces and nephews posts on Facebook and I am always so surprised. The first time I saw that my teenaged nieces and nephews were using four letter words was on Facebook. All I could think was “OMG!” At that age my parents would have killed me and I would not allow that language either. My niece once used my computer and forgot to log out of her FB. When I got back on I saw a very naughty message from a man I didn’t know. Once I realized it was her account and not mine I quickly messaged him back informing him that she was not a grown woman but a 12-year-old little girl and then told her parents. If you want to really know what your children are doing check them out on social media but I caution you because you just never know what you will find.
The most important thing to tell your children about Facebook is that whatever they write will be there forever. Even when they are sixty and their grand kids are reading about Grandma showing her thong to the world. Is that really something you want to be shown at your memorial service when you are gone? I know I wouldn’t!
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How do you feel about children and Facebook?
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
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I am very careful about what I put on FB. I don’t visit very often because it is a time sink and I look up and an hour has passed. No kids, but if I did they would NOT have a FB account til they were 16.
Not having any children in the age range (old enough to type and not under 13) right now I had not given it much thought. But with so many predators out there I definitely think that parents should monitor all activity. Not every child has an aunt that care…so gld that you do.
We allowed our son to be on facebook when he was 12. Both my husband and I monitored him and we never had anything come up that was too bad. There were rules about what kinds of behavior were expected, plus my son knew there was software installed on his computer that we could see everything he was doing. He really wasn’t that big of a fan of facebook and still isn’t at 20 years old. 🙂
I’m with your son. I use Facebook to keep up with everyone and for work. Most of the time I forget to update my status at all. I have to make a point of it.Edgar has updated his in like 6 months I think.
We have allowed our kids at 13 years old to have FB accounts. We also have made it very clear to both of them exactly what or expectations are regarding their behavior online. We have explained to them that there is tracking software on the computer. So we see everything that goes out or comes in on their computers. We also have explained that Forever is a very long time. Private business stays private. that’s what journals are for. It’s called the World Wide Web for a reason.
I think that people need to be very careful what they allow their kids to post on Facebook. And it’s not just that Facebook can allow creepy things like older men and creepy men and stuff like that, it’s also that kids (I think) should be kids, outside, and playing! Some computer time is totally fine, but I always worry a bit when I see ten-year-old plugged into the computer or ipod or whatever all the time. It’s not healthy for kids to always ben online.
I really don’t think facebook is a good thing for kids to be on. I think parents should wait at least until they are a teenager, and even then I think they should be monitored.
It is additive enough for me I don’t need my kids wasting time when they could be outside socializing with children.