What age is "normal" to get a Facebook page?

[castleview]

DD#1 is in fifth grade and a few of her friends have pages, but DD isn't getting one for at least another year. I'm curious what's a good age for this.

 

[autumnpalm]

I might be in the minority, but I would say it is unnecessary until at least high school age (14/15).

 

[DrCavin]

Think Facebook policy is 13

 

[Anjelica]

I might be in the minority, but I would say it is unnecessary until at least high school age (14/15).

100% Agreed and even then it depends upon the maturity level of the user and whether they get offended/upset easily, etc. - ESPECIALLY Girls - they read to much into stuff (i.e. why hasn't this person accepted my friend request, why did she not post the picture of us together but she did with this other person, etc.)

Think Facebook policy is 13

That is correct but many choose to ignore that policy.

Sorry OP - but at minimum your child should be 13 and even then I think it depends on the maturity level of your daughter. You will NOT be the worst mom in the world for not allowing her to have a facebook page.

 

[krcit]

My middle dd just turned 12 and she will NOT be getting one until she is at least 13. I go on my older dd's account and see what some of these kids are posting

 

[Anjelica]

My middle dd just turned 12 and she will NOT be getting one until she is at least 13. I go on my older dd's account and see what some of these kids are posting

I think its good that you are checking up on your older DD - I have read and heard of some awful things kids do to each other via their "new" technology - things I have never thought of before. It's unbelieveable the things I have heard - especially girls.

 

[Northstar]

There is no normal. It's too new for an accepted norm to have emerged.

That said, my DD is 12. Here's the actual situation among her peers:

Approximately 50% have a very active Facebook account, presumably with their parents' knowledge and consent... most of these seem to have parents also on FB who are on their Friends list. A few of them have multiple accounts, not in their real names.

Approximately 30% have Facebook but not very active... occasional posts, not many pics. According to DD many of these are "secret" accounts that the parents don't know about.

Approximately 20% either don't have FB accounts, or we don't know about their secret FB accounts.

 

[krcit]

I think its good that you are checking up on your older DD - I have read and heard of some awful things kids do to each other via their "new" technology - things I have never thought of before. It's unbelieveable the things I have heard - especially girls.

It's really pretty amazing some of the stuff I see on there. Kids as young as 13 posting pics with beer bottles. Posting about how much they love weed I was far from a perfevt kid but I certainly wasn't dumb enough t0 go taking pics of myself doing stupid and illegal things, lol. I was having a conversation with another mom recently and I mentioned that I go on her page and she said to me "Wow, my dd would never let me go on hers." Um, who's the parent?

 

[Ally192]

I might be in the minority, but I would say it is unnecessary until at least high school age (14/15).

I completely agree. I was 14 and in the 9th grade when I got mine. I had to be in a high school or college network when I joined so I think high school is about the right age.

 

[~disneydiva~]

My niece is 10 and she wants one. Her parents told her no. She asked me how old I was when I got my facebook, thinking it would help her case. Her face fell when I told her I was 26 when I got mine.

 

[donalduck]

18

 

[golfgal]

I will say "middle school". I think for most things age is pretty arbitrary, this would be one of them. The Facebook requirement of 13 is to protect FACEBOOK, not your child so that really doesn't mean anything. Facebook is a popular way to stay in touch with friends and if it is monitored, I don't see a problem with using it when kids are middle school age and above.

 

[WDWorBUST]

I am probably in the minority (and my DD is only 6 so I have plenty of time to change my mind)....but I am leaning towards never (okay 18 when I can't really say no anymore). And although I will probably eventually allow her to have a cell phone I will most likely disable texting on it....I don't see the need. I think it just give bullies another avenue to torture kids. Now my DD hasn't been picked on yet, and I truly hope it doesn't happen, but I just don't see any reason to make it any easier than it already is.

 

[jen0610]

DD13 had to wait until she turned 13. First friend she added was me. I have to know her password and get on checking up on her wall. Got on last week while she was at dance and her one friend was on, saw her sign on, but knew she shouldn't have. Sent a message that said Hi D-Mom. Send him a message back, asking why he thought it was mom and not D. Came back with I saw Gma take her to dance and we (he likes to ride w/me) haven't gone to pick D up yet. Smart kid!

DS15 had shown no interest in an account, until his sister got one, so he set up his about a week after she did. He has the same rules - I know the password and I sign on and check up on his wall.

 

[shirleyb]

My DD13 bugged and bugged and I reluctantly let her have a FB page. She was unaware that I had access to all of it and when I saw some of the drama in her inbox, I locked her out of it. The page still exists, but she doesn't know the PW.

She wasn't doing anything wrong, but middle school girls have enough drama in their life, I don't think she needed that as well. She'll be 14 soon and hasn't asked for it back, although I know she'd like it.

I know 4th and 5th graders with them, although I also know 2nd graders with cell phones, so go figure!

 

[MiniGirl]

I will say "middle school". I think for most things age is pretty arbitrary, this would be one of them. The Facebook requirement of 13 is to protect FACEBOOK, not your child so that really doesn't mean anything. Facebook is a popular way to stay in touch with friends and if it is monitored, I don't see a problem with using it when kids are middle school age and above.

Regardless of the reason why the policy is 13, it should still be followed. Don't you think? That's like saying schools have attendance policies to protect the children of slacker parents that wouldn't send them to school otherwise. If you aren't one of those parents, then the attendance policy doesn't really mean anything.

My 10 yo dd does have a few friends with FB accounts. From what I can tell though, they are friends mostly with their family and older cousins. It would appear she is part of a big 10 yo network. Of course, I'm sure there are places where many younger kids have accounts. My girls don't, and won't for awhile.

 

[SaraJayne]

My 13 year old DS has one, that I have complete access to (and he's aware of it).

My 9 year DD does NOT ~ though many of her 9 year old friends do. WTH is wrong with their parents?

 

[ziggyn42]

My kids will not have facebook pages until they are much older. There is a lot of adult topics discussed on facebook. Things that should not be seen by children. Not only can they see friends postings, but depending on their settings they can see friends of friends who may or may not realize their postings are being read by children. In other words I have a 20 something brother in law who posts things he would not say in front of my children.

 

[Rora]

I wouldn't let my child get one until they were the age set by Facebook. Even 13 is a bit young, IMO.

Honestly, I wish I didn't have my Facebook and I'm 23.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

I don't think you need it until you are in high school.
I got mine around 8th grade summer before 9th grade but didn't use it until middle of 9th.
I am now a senior, WOOH.