Kids with email????

[cybrkitn]

My almost 10 year old wants an email account. Do your kids age 10 or younger have email??? Not sure I'm going to let him just yet.

My DS8 does not have one and has requested an account recently. DH checked into it and did find one strictly for kids where the parents have control over it (who they can and can't email, sent emails being authorized by the parent(s) first, etc.). It's only $12/year, which isn't bad. Unfortuntely, I can't think of the name of the site off the top of my head right now.

My personal feeling is why does DS need an email account anyway ? He doesn't have anyone to email in the first place.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

My 8 year old just sent me an e-mail from school using his teacher's account. I had to check with her to make sure that she knew he used her account. It turns out it was her idea. He can type better than speak (he is a special needs child) and the teacher wants him to start sending me e-mail updates from school. For a second there, I thought my kid was a computer hacker though.

 

[GothTink]

My DD10 has an email. It comes in handy for her to keep in touch with family around the country.

 

[golfgal]

Our kids have had an email account since they were in 3rd grade or so and were IM'ing friends. Our internet provider allows up to 8 emails with our account so they are all with our internet provider. They check their emails about once/year .

It's a novelty thing. They use it a lot for a while, then taper off to the point where they never use it.

 

[mickeyboat]

My DDs (10 & 11) have accounts through zilladog. I paid $10 each for them and I control who they can correspond with. I also get a copy of every email coming in and going out. I think it is a good way for them to start learning about email.

They rarely use it, though.

 

[PollyannaMom]

DS (almost 10) has one, but rarely uses it. He needed it to enter a contest once that required him to put down his e-mail and his parents' e-mail (we got a confirmation of his entry that we had to approve) and it would not take the same one twice. So we set him up his own, and I have the password. But he still hasn't really been interested in using it much.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

My daughter 10 has one. I have a yahoo account and I can have all our email from other accounts forwarded to that account. I can see who is emailing her. I dont necessarily open it unless it looks questionable or if I don't know the person. She knows I have the access and knows that I will trust her until she gives me a reason not to. She has her own screen name for internet with parental blocks. She is only allowed to use our desktop which is in the living room or the laptop which she needs to use in our presence.

 

[goofy!]

Our school district sets up e-mail/windows login accounts for every student in the district when they enroll, so they usually have accounts starting in kindergarten. However, most kids never use their e-mail except for school projects. Starting around 2nd or 3rd grade, they would use their accounts for work. In school, they would log in to their accounts to store their work and at home they could upload any work they were doing so they could continue to work on it from home. Starting in middle school, they could turn in assignments via e-mail. Much easier to do your report in word/excel/powerpoint and then just attach it to an e-mail for the teacher instead of printing it out and handing it in. You also have proof that you turned it in.

Other than school work, they don't use e-mail much. If they need to get hold of us or friends, they text as it is faster and easier.

 

[bellebud]

dd11 and ds9 both have had email accounts for a few years now. dd11 has a few different accounts actually.

ds9 never uses his - dd11 uses hers all the time w/ friends (and the occasional "hi mom")

DD and ds both know I can and will open their accounts and read any emails I want at any time - same with their phones and texting. Also, both of their laptops are right in the livingroom, so we're always walking by and can just look anytime. So far, so good as far as them being open and honest if something "inappropriate" has come up, etc.

 

[jayeasy]

if u do, just keep it monitored. no harm if u monitor it

 

[DLB]

Yes, I would however I would make sure that I have the password and CAN check as needed.

 

[3boymthr]

All my kids have an e-mail account - even the 8 yo - I set them up when we got our new service as that way I wouldn't have to remember all the steps to set them up later (it was a major PITA).

Currently the youngest doesn't use his but I'm sure he will someday.

The oldest uses his daily for scouts, etc. All the kids in scouts communicate times for patrol meetings, plans for campouts, and other related stuff. Middle DS will become a Boy Scout in three months and will use his for Boy Scouts soon too. Currently he just uses it to register for things and communicate with his grandma.

 

[jayeasy]

All my kids have an e-mail account - even the 8 yo - I set them up when we got our new service as that way I wouldn't have to remember all the steps to set them up later (it was a major PITA).

Currently the youngest doesn't use his but I'm sure he will someday.

The oldest uses his daily for scouts, etc. All the kids in scouts communicate times for patrol meetings, plans for campouts, and other related stuff. Middle DS will become a Boy Scout in three months and will use his for Boy Scouts soon too. Currently he just uses it to register for things and communicate with his grandma.

I hope the kids chose the email names for themselves. =\

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Alison is 8 and has had one for 6 months or so. She e-mails with her cousin, with her best friend, and with DH or I if we are traveling. I, of course, have the password and check it more than she does - I just let her know when she has a message.

 

[effervescent]

DS1 has had an email since he was 7 or 8. At the time we were a military family and he used it to keep in touch with friends and extended family. He's now almost 13 and also uses it for Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol communications. I set him up through gmail and a copy of all incoming mail goes straight into my email inbox. My DH and I also have his password and he knows that we can check the account at any time.

 

[CarmenPeteron]

My 13 year old son has an e-mail account so that he can register for on line games. I think it is very important to have his password so we can moniter his correspondence. Atleast until he gets older.

 

[PaulaSue]

Mine dont and I am upset that the 6th grade english teacher wants permission to set up one for each kid in class. I tried hard to montior what the girls see on the web and I dont approve of this at all..