Can you come and talk to me about children on Facebook - are your kids on it?

[pollycazalet]

DS is in year 6. Facebook is the latest craze - mostly amongst the kids who are always 'first' with things.

I think DS is way too young - and isn't the FB age limit 14? It's not gone down well though.

But would be interested to hear what other people have done. When did you allow your child to go on it and what sort of rules do you have about it?

[ivykaty44]

yes the limit is 14 and yes there are a lot of people on here who hate under 14 years olds on face book

my dd is on facebook and i have her password and check her account from the inside - that is the reason I allow her to have a fb. I don't want her doing this behind my back as "all her firends are on fb"

dd is at secondary school in year 7 and they do all have fb, thoguh year 6 at dd's last school they all had fb

my only rule is I have to know the passwrod and check it every now and then - otherwise the account will be deleted

do you have facebook OP?

[pollycazalet]

Yes I do have FB and would envisage being DS's friend when he does finally get on there - just so I can monitor.

It's interesting you have your dds password - I hadnt thought of that

[mummytime]

I stick to the 13 rule. A friend allowed her son to be on it at 11 and use his real name, she was then shocked by the bullying. She then cancelled, closed the account (but then he was allowed to open another one with a nickname, and I found it without really looking, and so could his bullies I think).

My kids are quite used to the fact they won't always have the "best" the "newest" etc.

[ivykaty44]

no passwrd then no pc people can be hidden/blocked on fb and I want to make sure of everyone who is her friend etc so not just checking from my account, I do checke on her account either when she is at school or very late in the evening.

[pagwatch]

No. My ds1 was allowed on it when he was 15 but we each have different rules for our kids so I wouldn't expect or particularly care what age others allow for their children
My dcs learn REALLY early that I do not give a shit what the latest craze is or what other peoples parents allow. Firstly they only ever tell you about the parents who say yes and secondly there are a whole load of deeply stupid parents out there. Loads of great ones but loads of stupid one too

[Gay40]

No. I think it's for adults.
I'm of the same school as pagwatch on this - I don't give a fk what other parents allow.

[tingletangle]

As a teacher facebook causes a lot of problems and wastes a huge amount of my time. On an almost daily basis I hear from students too young to have accounts that they are being bullied online, they fall out over who is friends with who, they get upset when they read things on there etc. It is shocking how many accept any Tom Dick or Harry as their friend.

The age limit is there for a reason, children will not be harmed without an account.

I also talk to a lot of parents on the phone who think they have control of their children's facebooking until it starts to spiral out of control, or they realise their son/daughter actually doesn't know who their friends are.

Having said that there are so many ways for kids to be horrible to each other, MSN, email or texting for example. I dealt with a case today of bullying by post it note!

[ivykaty44]

how on earth do you get bullyed by post it note - sad

[Hulababy]

Age is 13y I think and DD will be waiting til then before I let her have a FB account - she is 8y at the moment. I see no reason for her to need to be on it before then.

[tingletangle]

Kids leaving unpleasant post it notes where the other child will find them.