Tips for yr 7 starters about phones, social media etc

[areyoutheregoditsmemargaret]

DD is going into year 7 next term and I've decided it's time to lay down ground rules now about phone-use, social-media while she is still vaguely compliant.

She has an old phone of mine she uses for internet access, with Instagram (I know it's officially not until 13, I was conned into allowing her this, long story and now it's too late, my fault.) She doesn't yet have a Sim card, mainly because she cant' see the point of calling/texting anyone but I'll probably get her a payg SIM in the autumn, as she'll be going to school alone.

So wiser, more experience mnetters, what rules can I set in place now to stop her becoming a completely phone-obsessed zombie? I'm going to ban phones in bedrooms - amazed that already some of her friends are allowed this and are kept up all night by Instagram pinging - but more tips would be gratefully received. Thanks!

This is going to be a depressing but if she ever gets Snapchat teach her to screenshot instantly - essentially within milliseconds - a very useful skill which will enable her to prove that other girls are sending bullying, nasty shit when they think they've got away with it because they set it to disappear after 2 seconds. Will avoid the horrible situation of the school being able to do nothing because they have no proof and it's her word against theirs. And make sure she understands that other people can do the exact same to any messages / pics she sends to them, so she knows that anything she puts out there can come back and bite her on the arse.

Sorry to be so negative. But I've had to deal with so many of these situations as a teacher and it's a nightmare. I fucking hate snapchat!

If you have momentary heart failure when you see your child is friends with a grownup, ASK your child who it is... DH was checking DS's media and was so concerned when he saw this 'grown up friend pretending to be DS's same-age friend'. It WAS a child but they had Oldyfied their face