8 year old having an email address

[TitaniumTess]

I escaped an abusive relationship a few years ago. Lots of coercive control. My son who is 8 spends some time with his Dad.

There's been a whole history of harassment and post separation abuse. My ex is quite stalkerish. We normally communicate through a parenting app.

My son is with his Dad tonight. Some emails have just landed... Supposedly from my son.

I think that 8 is too young to have an email address. I also worry about my ex's previous behaviour.

Any thoughts?

My 7 year old has an email address so she can have a roblox account and send messages to her friends on her ipad. I guess it depends what it's used for?

I recently set my just turned 8 year old son up with an email address as I wanted him to watch age appropriate YouTube videos. If he asks to use my laptop, we just open chrome and select his profile. I know internet use needs supervision but it's not always possible and means he's not getting inappropriate ads. It really depends on why he's set up with the email.

As for the stalkerish ex dad I think that honestly is a separate issue and you'd be right to have concerns imo.

Thank you.

My ex is trying to use it now as an excuse to drop off the ipad in the am
He isn't allowed on my driveway.

Ex has recently split with latest girlfriend. So suspicious timing....

Your 7 year old has a Roblox account?! 😬

Do you struggle with reading comprehension?

Quite clearly, I do not. 😃

As he has a history it abuse one thing to watch for is the delivery of spyware to your devices via this connection.

I would buy a cheap brick non-smart no-camera payg phone that your son can use to call or text you from when he is with his dad. That "solves" the need to contact you.

If his dad is supplying an ipad the same security issues apply to it been given access to the wifi connection. So it depends on how teckie and abusive your ex is.

The next issue is teaching your son to be responsible in the internet as he can sign up to sites with an email address and you are at a disadvantage in that he can delete the communication without you seeing it. Plus if its via his dads ipad thats a point of conflict.
So i would try focus on teaching DS about safe usage.

Why does he need to drop the iPad off? Either it comes home with your son, or (preferably) it stays at his.

Tell DS that you don’t check your emails often enough for that to be an efficient communication method and you’d prefer to call/text when he’s away (or use whatever communication method you have until now).

I don’t think 8 is too young to have an email address, and totally fine if Dad wants to set one up for him - but you don’t have to have anything to do with it on your time.

One thing to be aware of is the "spam" type emails that your DC are likely to be receiving. These can range from inappropriately sexual ("increase your penis size and make her moan!") to scam emails suggesting that (for example) their Roblox account has been locked and they should click on the link to unlock it.

Is it possible that your child might look in their junk folder? Does their filter sometimes fail to identify all spam? If the answer to either of these questions is "yes" , your child may get into difficulties with their email.

Thanks all.

I told my ex this am through the parenting app that I won't have the ipad at my house.

He did want to drop it off at my house this morning so he's trying to open up comms again.

I will reach my son about Internet safety regardless.

Thanks all. Xxxxx

My 8 year old has an email address so I don’t think that’s a problem as such we use it for things like Pokemon go.

Your ex is however using the email
address as a way of dropping off the iPad which no doubt he has a tracker on and possibly cell service so if your child takes it out with you he can track you.

Eeeek. Thank you. I hadn't thought it through to that extent.