Kids on Facebook

[Sparklymommy]

This is a subject I am currently battling with my 10 yo dd over. The rules of Facebook are clear: the lower age limit is 13. Why, then, am I a terrible mum for refusing her access to this social media site? There are many things on fb that I do not want my 10yo viewing. It can be so terribly abused by cyber bullies too.

Dd has a lot of friends through dancing that she only sees at festivals/panto/ workshops. She is desperate for fb to keep in touch with these girls and boys. The compromise we reached approx two years was that they could friend request me. So now I have a couple of dozen kids on my page which caused a problem at Xmas when I made a comment about Father Christmas getting all the credit for all the work mummies do. Queue one mother (also a fb friend) asking me to remove the comment as I have some children who still "believe". I did say, after removing the comment, that Facebook has a lower age limit and you can't censure everything on there!

Now another child on fb (age 11) has got incredibly upset after someone reported her as being underage and her profile has been shut down. Her mother is up in arms about it but if you break the rules surely you should be prepared to take the consequences?

Dd will NOT be having an account until she is old enough and yet I am the one in the wrong? Social media is a minefield for adults! Let alone kids!!! Argh!!!!

Rant over, sorry!

Moustacio, I'd be astounded if any 10 year old knew 327 people (that's how many 'friends' she has) and its quite clear that an awful lot of them are adults. The fact that she quite happily gave me her details, and accepted my FR when she only 'knows' me as the mum of a girl she spent less than a week with on holiday is poor in itself. She didnt even know DDs surname.

The waterpark was full of lifeguards etc and is part of the hotel, the slides were properly managed, the complex is gated (and armed), the kids knew where we were at all times and checked in hourly for sun creams etc. When one of the girls had a small accident (a fall on slippery floors) DD was sent to get me whilst the 11 year old immediately took the girl to the first aid post (of which there were 4). I got the mum and dad and everything was fine within 10 minutes.

You can't say the same about FB. A child could be talking to a predator for weeks before a parent finds out. Like I said, I beleieve underage accounts should only be allowed if parents monitor them. I think it is irresponsible not to - but then we all manage our children's risks differently.