Hellobee Boards

I agree, 13 or so sounds much more appropriate than 9. Its not so much I have an issue with them communicating with friends, its that you can't sensor/control the ads and other content posted there.

can I say never?

Def not before 13 but I think that having an FB in middle school is still innappropriate. I still dont' love the idea of having one in High School but I get that it is what kids do now.

What scres me is the sexual content, bullying, rumors. I hope to raise my child to treat others how he would like to be treated but I htink that social media makes that very very hard.

When she gets to high school I think? Maybe facebook will have gone the way of Myspace by then? Dare to dream right?

It depends on what's being used and how it is being used.

I think high school. High school for most things. But, children need to be educated on what is appropriate to put on the internet and what isn't. I can't believe what high school kids put on their facebook pages.

@littlebittyhouse: agree.

Bullying and inappropriate pics are my biggest concerns. I don't think highschookers completely grasp the ramifications of posting certain things as they attempt to enter college and the workforce.

Stuff in cyberspace can follow or haunt people for a long time to come. You hear about some of these tween and teen suicides and the parents say the kids were even bullied on FB. Why did they have a FB account? At some point kids need a rest from things going on at school.

Definitely not before 13. My 11 year old cousin has one and it bothers me. Of course, he also has an iPhone that he does whatever he wants on it without any sort of supervision. This is the same child that called me a "shithead" last weekend....

ANYWAY, it is scary to think about. I hope to do the best I can teaching my children about the Internet and how to treat others in general. However, I don't think a middle schooler has any business being on fb at all.

my niece has one and she's only 8 (maybe 9 now?)!! I don't get it! She just posts really silly things and "friends" anyone and everyone, it doesn't matter who they are. It seems like it would be SO easy for a sexual predator to get information out of someone so young.

I personally would rather my kids not have one at all....like others have said, it will have probably gone by the wayside by then, only to replaced by a new, more intrusive form of social media.

I am not a fan of social media in general...FB was useful for keeping up with family and sharing pictures when I live abroad, but TBH I don't really have much use for it now. I should probably just bite the bullet and shut it down alltogether.

@Mrs. Jacks: I agree with your 'more awful' assessment. not even looking forward to that.

Whatever social media site is the rage at that point, she can have an account. But I will have all log-in information and she shouldn't plan on posting anything that she doesn't want me to see. I don't plan on ever logging in and checking up on her, but if she knows I can log in at anytime, hopefully that will encourage her to behave.

@Honeybee: We're going to be out of the loop and not even know how to get onto it. We'll be sure that it's all about sex, drugs and rock n roll. The kids will roll their eyes at us about how "square" we are... (and for that matter for using the word "square"). They'll all secretly sneak onto it on their phones and other mobile devices. And those of us who won't allow mobile devices will be especially hated and equated with those parents of our era who wouldn't let us wear make up or date until college.

Awesome! I'm looking forward to it!

@Mrs. Jacks: Hahaha! My kids are going to think I'm so strict! At least our kids will have each other to commiserate with!