OT 13 year old DD YES to Facebook or NO

[mejaie]

But Dad all my friends have it!

[CAGirl]

My teens have one but so do I...and I am their friend on there. I can keep up with who they accept for friends and what they post on facebook. Our main rule is only accept friends that you personally know. Dont accept friends of friends unless you have met face to face. Being military and far from home my kids and I keep intouch with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. Great way to see pics of family and feel like part of their world while being so far away....good luck!

[ccgirl]

Personally I say no. My DD7 has been asking for a phone, tv in her room etc and I say no. I get the but mom all my friends have it. My response, although I swore I would never say it, is well I am not their mother. My sister is the school resource officer and I have just heard horror stories about the social networking sites. If you are going to be extremely diligent like the above poster that is one thing. IMHO, I would say no.

[Tower]

I would also say 'no'.
While my kids are 8, 6 and 3, no to TV's, phones and computers in their rooms. No cell phones until they are old enough to pay for them on their own, and not until they turn 15 and working jobs.
DW has a computer with 4 users, each with passwords that the parents know. I also have netnanny on it to control their time online and to keep out any/all social networking sites. I can't be there all the time, hence netnanny.

[dangler]

My kids have it, but I made the password. I go on periodically to see what they are doing.
I am on their friends list too, so most of what they do comes on my newsfeed.
I also went into Privacy and put all the settings to only friends, including photographs, so that random people cannot pull up their photos. I had a co-worker look them up and they came up with the generic picture.
So far, we've had no problems.

[Debbie]

My teens have one but so do I...and I am their friend on there. I can keep up with who they accept for friends and what they post on facebook. Our main rule is only accept friends that you personally know. Dont accept friends of friends unless you have met face to face. Being military and far from home my kids and I keep intouch with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. Great way to see pics of family and feel like part of their world while being so far away....good luck!

I say "yes" with the caveats above. Your DD is 13 (very different from 8 or 10), and this is a learning experience that you can control and advise her if things aren't going well (cyberbullying can happen, and everyone needs to know how to deal with it). I like the idea of you setting the password (did that with mine and hotmail when they were younger). With your support, your DD will enjoy the good that can come from FB. Good luck!

[maryliz]

I say "yes" with the caveats above. Your DD is 13 (very different from 8 or 10), and this is a learning experience that you can control and advise her if things aren't going well (cyberbullying can happen, and everyone needs to know how to deal with it). I like the idea of you setting the password (did that with mine and hotmail when they were younger). With your support, your DD will enjoy the good that can come from FB. Good luck!

What are you doin' here, Debbie??? I was reading this thread and now YOUR 13 year old niece (aka my DD), who was reading over my shoulder, thinks that I should let her get FB. :rolleyes: I KNEW that feeding your children chocolate when they were younger just before sending them home to you would come back some day to get me. :rotfl:

[momtolots]

I say yes too! As a pp said, as long as you know the password, there should be no problems. Sometimes, as parents, we have to choose what to say yes to, and what to say no to.Choose our battles) I know my kids also like to play Farmville, etc as well on fb. anyway, just my HO.

[Sue M]

I would say yes, but set up their security yourself. And moniter their site.

[rjan67]

So far, I too have said no. There are some good ideas here if you decide yes. My daughter wants it too. They have improved the privacy settings. I'm still not conviced.:confused3

[BitsnBearsMom]

I'm a yes too - my almost 16yo :scared1: has had it since he was 14 - I know the password and am a friend so I can monitor what goes on. I don't go on unless something I don't agree with or like is posted and he knows it. He mostly uses it to play games!
I agree with the PP too that 13 is ALOT different then 8 or 6 - I wouldn't let my 10yo have a facebook page even at this point!!

[Puccaw]

I say yes as well. I think that you have to begin to set some liberties in place. My 13 year olds have FB, I have both of their passwords and I made them add me as a friend so that I check up on them. It is actually a good thing to see which of their friends is up to what. Just keep a close eye on things.

[Northstar]

I say yes. But keep an eye on it... as others have said, the only way to make sure you have some control over it is to make sure you have the password, and to check out the page regularly.

Saying no to FB for a 13-year-old very often means that they create an account from a friend's computer and you don't have any way of monitoring it.

[canabrits2]

My teens have one but so do I...and I am their friend on there. I can keep up with who they accept for friends and what they post on facebook. Our main rule is only accept friends that you personally know. Dont accept friends of friends unless you have met face to face. Being military and far from home my kids and I keep intouch with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. Great way to see pics of family and feel like part of their world while being so far away....good luck!

I agree with this post. My DD is only 6 and hasn't asked yet but her father and I have an account and can see all that is posted and what she posts and her friends etc. Plus, we have family spread far and wide and it's a fantastic resource to stay connected.

I say there no harm in it and I like to pick my battles and only argue with her about important things. I do not consider Facebook an issue at all. I would not just say "no" because of rumors or that it may take a few minutes of my time to actually check on her use of it. In fact, it does not take much time at all to be diligent and watch your kids, especially when Facebook makes it easy to do just that. We can help her set her security options so only her friends can see her pics etc.... I would just watch the amount of time overall that she uses it. I think that could become an issue about life/activity balance.

[It'sWDW4me]

My DS13 wants to open a FB account. My answer to him - HE** NO! Sorry, Charlie, too many kooks out there! Maybe in another 2 or 3 years...

[Disney Dad Canada]

There are just as many kooks in real life as there are in Facebook or any other online community. My kids are too young for Facebook right now, but when they are 13 they will definately be allowed.

The most important thing in letting kids online is to teach them proper online practices, and to keep computers in common areas, like a living room, and not in the child's bedroom. It can be a learning experience for both of you, as many teenagers know much more about computers than their parents.

[momtolots]

There are just as many kooks in real life as there are in Facebook or any other online community. My kids are too young for Facebook right now, but when they are 13 they will definately be allowed.

The most important thing in letting kids online is to teach them proper online practices, and to keep computers in common areas, like a living room, and not in the child's bedroom. It can be a learning experience for both of you, as many teenagers know much more about computers than their parents.

I definitely agree with Disney Dad. My 17, and 12 yr old help me post my pics on fb. :laughing: They said it was faster to do it for me then walk me through all the steps. Apparently, I ask too many ?'s:rolleyes1

[Tantor]

I said yes to my daughter at 13 BUT I have her password and can go on her FB anytime. I also make sure all her settings are on private and she is not out there for the world to look at.......

I have a friend who said no and the son went behind his bad and opened one anyways., I'd rather have control.

[rjan67]

I say yes. But keep an eye on it... as others have said, the only way to make sure you have some control over it is to make sure you have the password, and to check out the page regularly.

Saying no to FB for a 13-year-old very often means that they create an account from a friend's computer and you don't have any way of monitoring it.


Good point!:thumbsup2

I guess by being a friend, I can monitor what goes on. I also see it as a vehicle for some cyber bullying by other kids. I figure if my dd doesn't have it, it can't be a problem.

[Tinkermom76]

I also am a yes.

My DS is 16 and he has had FB since he was 13 but I an on his friends list, friends with most of his friends and their parents, I have the password to the computer, his FB and his email. My computer is in the living room where I can see it and none of this will change till his 18th birthday. He thinks this is unfair but I tell him that not having access to the computer except for word documents and powerpoint would suck more.

I do check his FB daily through my account and go on his account every once in a while. My son is the only one of his friends that doesn't have disgusting swear words all over his FB and there is nothing on there that upsets me. I told him the house rules apply to FB as well so no swearing or bullying. So far so good so I think I am doing my job:thumbsup2

[Ted in Halifax]

hmmmm Facebook is a major part of teen socialization! but nevertheless I would impose Four "Ted rules".

1 - privacy settings must be set to the max. No public creeping of your daughters photos etc. There is no reason for strangers to see your info. It all must be restricted to your friends.

2 - only add "real" friends as friends. I've had some very suspicious "friend" requests .... No offense to Hot Latino ladies out there :)

3. Mom (or Dad) gets to keep your password! ... no exceptions. Dad gets to creep this if he chooses to do so .. call it Dad's Patriot Act.

4. Privacy ... this applies to point 3 above. It's my house ... my rules... if you don't like it ... buy your own house.

The big question here is if you want to add your child as a friend. It sounds like a good idea ... until someone posts your vacation photos from the 1970's ... :scared:

[drag n' fly]

Our dd13 has fb. These are our rules. Both of her parents are on her friends list. We have her password. She has her friends and her friends parents, scout leader, even some teachers. I am constantly monitoring it. IMO children need to be given wings with boundries.:thumbsup2

[CanadianPaco]

We've said "no" to our 12 yr old turning 13. There is too much hurtful stuff out there. I will control what I can for as long as I can. Same goes for MSN - chat rooms are not for children. Plain and simple.

[mejaie]

hmmmm Facebook is a major part of teen socialization! but nevertheless I would impose Four "Ted rules".

1 - privacy settings must be set to the max. No public creeping of your daughters photos etc. There is no reason for strangers to see your info. It all must be restricted to your friends.

2 - only add "real" friends as friends. I've had some very suspicious "friend" requests .... No offense to Hot Latino ladies out there :)

3. Mom (or Dad) gets to keep your password! ... no exceptions. Dad gets to creep this if he chooses to do so .. call it Dad's Patriot Act.

4. Privacy ... this applies to point 3 above. It's my house ... my rules... if you don't like it ... buy your own house.

The big question here is if you want to add your child as a friend. It sounds like a good idea ... until someone posts your vacation photos from the 1970's ... :scared:

I have said many times, I am glad there were no cell phone cameras in my early 20's. :rolleyes1

[Chelley00]

1 - privacy settings must be set to the max. No public creeping of your daughters photos etc. There is no reason for strangers to see your info. It all must be restricted to your friends.

2 - only add "real" friends as friends. I've had some very suspicious "friend" requests .... No offense to Hot Latino ladies out there :)

3. Mom (or Dad) gets to keep your password! ... no exceptions. Dad gets to creep this if he chooses to do so .. call it Dad's Patriot Act.

4. Privacy ... this applies to point 3 above. It's my house ... my rules... if you don't like it ... buy your own house.

The big question here is if you want to add your child as a friend. It sounds like a good idea ... until someone posts your vacation photos from the 1970's ... :scared:


:laughing:


Those are our rules too. We have the password, they are friends with us and I monitor everything, including friends and messages.

[Debbie]

There are just as many kooks in real life as there are in Facebook or any other online community. My kids are too young for Facebook right now, but when they are 13 they will definately be allowed.

The most important thing in letting kids online is to teach them proper online practices, and to keep computers in common areas, like a living room, and not in the child's bedroom. It can be a learning experience for both of you, as many teenagers know much more about computers than their parents.Disney Dad, you have said it clearly, concisely and correctly.

The big question here is if you want to add your child as a friend. It sounds like a good idea ... until someone posts your vacation photos from the 1970's ... :scared: :rotfl::rotfl:

Our dd13 has fb. These are our rules. Both of her parents are on her friends list. We have her password. She has her friends and her friends parents, scout leader, even some teachers. I am constantly monitoring it. IMO children need to be given wings with boundries.:thumbsup2

Well said, everyone. It is great to think that we can protect them and control them, but we need to teach them how to handle situations. Before you know it, they are on their own. Or, sneaking around to do what they want without our inpout. Let them make mistakes under your eyes and when you are there to help pick up any pieces. Lots of great games on FB! :surfweb:

Oh, and in our house, FB time comes out of (naturally) the regulated computer time.

[highland3]

hmmmm Facebook is a major part of teen socialization! but nevertheless I would impose Four "Ted rules".

1 - privacy settings must be set to the max. No public creeping of your daughters photos etc. There is no reason for strangers to see your info. It all must be restricted to your friends.

2 - only add "real" friends as friends. I've had some very suspicious "friend" requests .... No offense to Hot Latino ladies out there :)

3. Mom (or Dad) gets to keep your password! ... no exceptions. Dad gets to creep this if he chooses to do so .. call it Dad's Patriot Act.

4. Privacy ... this applies to point 3 above. It's my house ... my rules... if you don't like it ... buy your own house.

The big question here is if you want to add your child as a friend. It sounds like a good idea ... until someone posts your vacation photos from the 1970's ... :scared:

Ted... bang on!!!! These sound just like my rules for my 13 year old DD. To make it even more interesting, some of her friends have added me to their lists (along with their own parents, thank you). It drives my DD a little nutty sometimes. I'm 43 and I love FB. Keep your security settings high and your eyes on your kids account and it's all good!!! :surfweb:

[dancin Disney style]

I thought FB set the minimum age at 16 ??????

[irisesareblue]

Ted... bang on!!!! These sound just like my rules for my 13 year old DD. To make it even more interesting, some of her friends have added me to their lists (along with their own parents, thank you). It drives my DD a little nutty sometimes. I'm 43 and I love FB. Keep your security settings high and your eyes on your kids account and it's all good!!! :surfweb:

I love FB - drives my 20 and 22 year olds crazy! We have had a househould computer since the girls were in their early teens - our rule of thumb was always that the girls could only access our home computer in a main area of the house - and I often walked by to "check" on what they were doing.

I am a "friend" of their's on FB and I often will comment on something they post (like would you want a future employer to see that???) to which I get a :rolleyes1 roll of the eyes - but they usually think it over and remove it (or they don't want to listen to me, so they remove it....;)

[momtolots]

I thought FB set the minimum age at 16 ??????


No, it's 13.

[YukiPhnx]

I don't know if this helps, but apparently, all those pedophiles that used to have myspace profiles to connect with kids, are not connecting with kids on Facebook. FB has tried to remove those they know are registered sex offenders, but they can only do so much. There are still hundreds of pedophiles on FB, just waiting for your young children

[Northstar]

Well, this isn't directly related to the OP's question... 13-year-old Facebook Y/N? .. but this thread reminded me to do my parental due diligence and do a quick browse through my DD's FB. No problems. Then I did a quick browse through her friends list, knowing that some of them have non-Internet-savvy parents.

Found 1 wall with email and cell phone number posted for the world to see (I went back in on a different account to make sure it wasn't only this girl's friends list who could see it). This girl is 12 years old. :scared1:

Found another wall with "I hate (insert teacher's name here), I'd like to kill him!" :scared1: Also for the whole world to see.

So I guess I'm going to be the Facebook vigilante mom. Oh well, it takes a village to raise a child, right?

[canabrits2]

I don't know if this helps, but apparently, all those pedophiles that used to have myspace profiles to connect with kids, are not connecting with kids on Facebook. FB has tried to remove those they know are registered sex offenders, but they can only do so much. There are still hundreds of pedophiles on FB, just waiting for your young children


But when you set the security options in FB (as every parent should), your child has to actually "friend" people for them to see anything on the account......so just set the security options, add yourself as their friend and watch who their friends are periodically. Tell your child not to friend people he or she doesn't know and there is no problem at all.

[YukiPhnx]

But when you set the security options in FB (as every parent should), your child has to actually "friend" people for them to see anything on the account......so just set the security options, add yourself as their friend and watch who their friends are periodically. Tell your child not to friend people he or she doesn't know and there is no problem at all.

Yes, but the point of FB is to socially network with people. That includes meeting new people. What if your child joins an interest group, say that group is a fan of Hannah Montana. They might friend someone from that group because they share the same interests and want to discuss it with them.

And most of our young children nowadays are lot more internet savy than we think. I would say a 13 yr old would be a pretty good computer whiz and be able to bypass any sort of security measures the parent may have put up.

Also, even with all of FB's securities, hackers can easily get into a child's profile and learn they everything need to know

[Disney Dad Canada]

I don't know if this helps, but apparently, all those pedophiles that used to have myspace profiles to connect with kids, are not connecting with kids on Facebook. FB has tried to remove those they know are registered sex offenders, but they can only do so much. There are still hundreds of pedophiles on FB, just waiting for your young children

Don't believe all the horrific headlines you see on tv. Facebook and the internet in general are no different than the real world. By watching shows like CSI, Missing, Cold Case Files, Criminal Mind etc., a lot of people want to believe in "stranger danger", that every time a child goes online, or walks out the front door, there are gangs of pedophiles just waiting to jump out and corrupt your children.

Luckily the facts don't back this up. For example, in 2008 the number of children abducted by strangers and kept at least one night away from home in the US was 126, with 50 of them killed. While having even one child go through this is horrible, with approximately 300 million children, your odds are approximately 1.5 million to one that "stranger danger" will actually occur.

It's statistically far more likely fora child to be mistreated by someone they know.

[LSmith]

Yes, but the point of FB is to socially network with people. That includes meeting new people. What if your child joins an interest group, say that group is a fan of Hannah Montana. They might friend someone from that group because they share the same interests and want to discuss it with them.

And most of our young children nowadays are lot more internet savy than we think. I would say a 13 yr old would be a pretty good computer whiz and be able to bypass any sort of security measures the parent may have put up.

Also, even with all of FB's securities, hackers can easily get into a child's profile and learn they everything need to know

I agree TOTALLY. You can tell your child a million times all of the "rules". Remember how well that worked for us when we were teens? The bottom line is they are kids. Most predators out there start taking advantage of "kids" from the ages of 13 and up. Why? Because the parents aren't hovering over them like they are in the under 12 group.

Obviously, to each his own. I'm not passing judgement here. Personally, my kids are not allowed on Facebook. Having your child's password may give some a peace of mind. I know many kids that have two Facebook accts. One that their parents know of, and another that their parents are not aware of.

I notice that the kids (like some adults) write every last personal thing going on in their life with pics to match.

Oh teenagers!

[Debbie]

Don't believe all the horrific headlines you see on tv. Facebook and the internet in general are no different than the real world. By watching shows like CSI, Missing, Cold Case Files, Criminal Mind etc., a lot of people want to believe in "stranger danger", that every time a child goes online, or walks out the front door, there are gangs of pedophiles just waiting to jump out and corrupt your children.

Luckily the facts don't back this up. For example, in 2008 the number of children abducted by strangers and kept at least one night away from home in the US was 126, with 50 of them killed. While having even one child go through this is horrible, with approximately 300 million children, your odds are approximately 1.5 million to one that "stranger danger" will actually occur.

It's statistically far more likely fora child to be mistreated by someone they know.

Took the words out of my mouth!

[LSmith]

Took the words out of my mouth!

Statistics mean nothing to me when it comes to my children.

[YukiPhnx]

Don't believe all the horrific headlines you see on tv. Facebook and the internet in general are no different than the real world. By watching shows like CSI, Missing, Cold Case Files, Criminal Mind etc., a lot of people want to believe in "stranger danger", that every time a child goes online, or walks out the front door, there are gangs of pedophiles just waiting to jump out and corrupt your children.

Luckily the facts don't back this up. For example, in 2008 the number of children abducted by strangers and kept at least one night away from home in the US was 126, with 50 of them killed. While having even one child go through this is horrible, with approximately 300 million children, your odds are approximately 1.5 million to one that "stranger danger" will actually occur.

It's statistically far more likely fora child to be mistreated by someone they know.

I didn't get this information from headlines. I took a course on sexual predators and these are the facts that were presented by my professor, with stats from FB to back it up. Just last year, they had to remove about 300 profiles of registered sex offenders off FB. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I think the most important thing to teach your child is not to MEET UP with a stranger they meet online. That's the most dangerous thing. The scary thing is, these predators usually take a long time to become friends with your child and gain their trust so they're no longer just a "stranger", but an actual friend to your child.

And about what you said about someone they know, cyberbullying has increased with the help of social networking sites like FB. So there's also THAT kind of danger waiting for your children on FB

[LSmith]

I didn't get this information from headlines. I took a course on sexual predators and these are the facts that were presented by my professor, with stats from FB to back it up. Just last year, they had to remove about 300 profiles of registered sex offenders off FB. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I think the most important thing to teach your child is not to MEET UP with a stranger they meet online. That's the most dangerous thing. The scary thing is, these predators usually take a long time to become friends with your child and gain their trust so they're no longer just a "stranger", but an actual friend to your child.

And about what you said about someone they know, cyberbullying has increased with the help of social networking sites like FB. So there's also THAT kind of danger waiting for your children on FB

My dh is a police officer in Toronto. Not enough parents understand the cyberworld. It's not as easy to monitor your kids as some may think. We have seen many teens taken advantage of someone through FB. Your kids know how to unblock parental controls way better than most adults. The word "stranger" should never be taught to kids. Most kids think "stranger" means some sort of monster. Not someone they met through someone else on FB.

[drag n' fly]

Seriously better to be proactive than reactive. With appropriate boundries and proper supervision the internet can be a useful tool. Their are predators, drug dealers, pedophiles and all kinds of vermin everywhere! Does that mean that my family and I should stay home and offline?...of course not. A little common sense goes a long way:thumbsup2

[LSmith]

Seriously better to be proactive than reactive. With appropriate boundries and proper supervision the internet can be a useful tool. Their are predators, drug dealers, pedophiles and all kinds of vermin everywhere! Does that mean I should stay home...of course not. A little common sense goes a long way:thumbsup2

True. Unfortunately, many teens are missing the common sense gene.

[drag n' fly]

True. Unfortunately, many teens are missing the common sense gene.

Correct that is why I go back to what I said in my original posts:thumbsup2

[LSmith]

Seriously better to be proactive than reactive. With appropriate boundries and proper supervision the internet can be a useful tool. Their are predators, drug dealers, pedophiles and all kinds of vermin everywhere! Does that mean that my family and I should stay home and offline?...of course not. A little common sense goes a long way:thumbsup2

Staying home and offline or staying off Facebook? Totally different. If you have every had the police come to your child's school to to an internet safety talk, I guarantee they tell you to keep your child off Facebook and MSN chat and any other kind of chat.

[Disney Dad Canada]

Statistics mean nothing to me when it comes to my children.

What the heck does that mean? I try to protect my children from real threats, not imaginary ones. If you did "what ifs" all day then you would never leave your house.

As I stated earlier, the chances of your child being abducted by a stranger is 1 in 1.5 million. The chance of being killed by an asteroid or meteor is 1 in 500,000. How much do you worry about your child being hit by meteors every time they leave the house?

Being a parent does not mean over protecting them from every possible negative thing that can ever possibly happen to them. It's teaching them how to live in the world, how to tell right from wrong, and how to be a productive human being. Worrying about things that have virtually no chance of happening is wasted energy. Teach reality, not perception.

[drag n' fly]

What the heck does that mean? I try to protect my children from real threats, not imaginary ones. If you did "what ifs" all day then you would never leave your house.

As I stated earlier, the chances of your child being abducted by a stranger is 1 in 1.5 million. The chance of being killed by an asteroid or meteor is 1 in 500,000. How much do you worry about your child being hit by meteors every time they leave the house?

Being a parent does not mean over protecting them from every possible negative thing that can ever possibly happen to them. It's teaching them how to live in the world, how to tell right from wrong, and how to be a productive human being. Worrying about things that have virtually no chance of happening is wasted energy. Teach reality, not perception.

:thumbsup2 Like I said earlier common sense goes a long way....well said!

[Northstar]

Look, a little reality check for all of us, both those that say Facebook Yes and those that say Facebook No...

Once your kids are not under your eyes every minute, but going to friends' houses and schools with computer access and practically everywhere with wireless access... YOU CAN'T STOP THEM FROM HAVING A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT. It's free, so they don't need your money to get it. Nobody is checking ages and IDs when they sign up. And they have lots and lots of access points to the Internet, not just under the watchful eyes of a teacher or parent.

All you can control is what's going on on your computer in your home, and what you communicate about why Facebook should or shouldn't be part of their lives.

[Disney Dad Canada]

Look, a little reality check for all of us, both those that say Facebook Yes and those that say Facebook No...

Once your kids are not under your eyes every minute, but going to friends' houses and schools with computer access and practically everywhere with wireless access... YOU CAN'T STOP THEM FROM HAVING A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT. It's free, so they don't need your money to get it. Nobody is checking ages and IDs when they sign up. And they have lots and lots of access points to the Internet, not just under the watchful eyes of a teacher or parent.

All you can control is what's going on on your computer in your home, and what you communicate about why Facebook should or shouldn't be part of their lives.

Which is why teaching them right from wrong is so important. I tell my kids not to do or say anything to anyone online that they wouldn't do or say in real life.

Trust works in both directions. If you believe that you've taught your kids enough valuable life skills, such as believing in yourself and live by "the golden rule", then you should trust them enough to do what's right 90% of the time. Kids aren't perfect, and will learn from experience. Protecting them from the Facebook boogie man will just teach them not to trust you, because you obviously don't trust them.

[rjan67]

True. Unfortunately, many teens are missing the common sense gene.

This is scientifically true. Teenagers brains do not have the ability to understand consequences fully. They may not truly have the ability to understand that something terrible can happen to them. That center in the brain is not fully developed until 18-20 yrs.

[LSmith]

What the heck does that mean? I try to protect my children from real threats, not imaginary ones. If you did "what ifs" all day then you would never leave your house.

As I stated earlier, the chances of your child being abducted by a stranger is 1 in 1.5 million. The chance of being killed by an asteroid or meteor is 1 in 500,000. How much do you worry about your child being hit by meteors every time they leave the house?

Being a parent does not mean over protecting them from every possible negative thing that can ever possibly happen to them. It's teaching them how to live in the world, how to tell right from wrong, and how to be a productive human being. Worrying about things that have virtually no chance of happening is wasted energy. Teach reality, not perception.

Wow, that's one serious hissy fit. Asteroids? Holy liftin'. You are going so far off course to what I am saying. Don't quote me and then talk about things completely unrelated to what I'm saying.

[Disney Dad Canada]

Wow, that's one serious hissy fit. Asteroids? Holy liftin'. You are going so far off course to what I am saying. Don't quote me and then talk about things completely unrelated to what I'm saying.

Hissy fit? Hardly. I was merely showing how facts are so far off of perception. Statistically your child is three times more likely to be hit by a meteor than to be abducted by a stranger. I have yet to see many people worry about "asteroid danger".

Worry about what really can happen to you and your family, not imaginary threats.

[digskat]

Both my kids have facebook, but I set up their accounts including passwords, so I am on their creeping all the time :) Alot of my friends are friends of theirs too, so they keep me updated too. So far we have had no issues. I was up front with them that it is a priviledge and if it is abused it goes away forever.

[Tantor]

Both my kids have facebook, but I set up their accounts including passwords, so I am on their creeping all the time :) Alot of my friends are friends of theirs too, so they keep me updated too. So far we have had no issues. I was up front with them that it is a priviledge and if it is abused it goes away forever.

Yep me too, I'm a creeper.........:rotfl:

[weezy26nm]

My soon to be 13 year old son has one and his sisters and I are also on his friends list. I also know his password and my email address is his contact address so I get a notice for whatever is going on. Our computer is also in the living room (no privacy LOL) So maybe if you set it up that way, say yes and if she doesn't agree to your terms then no facebook.:thumbsup2

[weezy26nm]

It's statistically far more likely fora child to be mistreated by someone they know.

This is what Oprah says too.