We agreed that when my son started high school (this September) he could have a phone.
He knows all about internet safety, they have covered it in school and we have talked about it at home. We've had no issues until this week (to my knowledge), and I check his phone regularly.
Issue one was on Instagram.
My son has always been more of a "lover than a fighter" and has never been on trouble in the past for bullying/ fighting or anything. He's always been such a good boy.
However I found he'd sent messages to a child from another school who he doesn't no (but his friends do) acting like the "hard man" and calling him things like "pussy" and "gay"
Now this was not one sided, the other boy in question had sent some disgusting messages back to my son too.
So, I've had a discussion about how disappointed I am in him and have put him on a temporary Instagram ban until I feel he can be trusted again.
I also made him go to his room and write out how that's not an acceptable way to behave and asked him to explain how his actions would make the other person feel. And to really reinforce that his actions have consequences.
Now I thought that was the end of it......
Issue two was via text message.
Last night I found text messages from a boy in his school asking if he was going to "give her one" and my son had sent emojis of a suggestive nature.
How do I deal with this? Would it be appropriate to inform the school and suggest an educational class on this subject? As well as talking to him myself? But what can I say? I really need some advice from someone who's been there and dealt with it successfully.
I'm really upset, he's only 11 and since starting high school he's really changed (with regards to online activity) in himself his behaviour hasn't changed at all, we don't have problems with his online activity on his xbox online, it's just seems to be with his phone.
I never in a million years would have thought my son would do these things, but my eyes have been well and truly opened now!
I don't want to ban him from his phone completely incase we need to get hold of each other.
I was thinking of not allowing him to have it at home, as this only seems to happen after school hours (again, to my knowledge).
He's always been easily led by others and this really concerns me. He knows right from wrong but if someone else is doing something he seems to think it's okay.
Any advice would be desperately appreciated as I'd like to deal with this as quickly as possible.
Thanks in advance.