ktgrok Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My problem with it is not being able to control content. The other day someone posted this horrendous photo of a dead baby. It had some political message with it that was right-on, but I will not be able to get that image out of my head for a long time, if ever. Definitely don't want my son having horrible images put in his head. Couldn't the same be said of the evening news or the newspaper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktkcb Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 gosh....I don't let mine have one till they are 18. The stuff that teens usually put on there is of marginal value usually, with a few exceptions. Not worth it for me. It's just NOT important imo. But then my kids didn't get cell phones till they had a job either.... nope, I vote not unreasonable in the least. 13? geez, NO WAY JOSE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I haven't read the other responses, because I don't want to be distracted. My ds is 13. He is not allowed to have a FB account. I don't care who does. It really bothers me that other parents lie about their kids' ages. :glare: They survived before FB, I don't understand why they can't now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeetime Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 The teens of my acquaintance just don't seem to really understand how important it is to not make a horse's patoot of yourself on the internet. My boys are pretty smart, and mature for their ages, but if they do something stupid I don't want it following them through their 20's and beyond just because they compounded their stupidity by documenting it on Facebook. Just this morning, a local news program discussed how companies have folks in the HR Dept who lurk on FB/Twitter to get an idea about perspective employees. Imagine! They want to know how social they are, how connected, interests, music preferences, married, children, and other things which cannot legally be asked on interviews. The anchors went on to warn young people about keeping their antics off the internet. My DH and I were shocked to see a FB "friend" of his announce to the entire world that her daughter (using her full name, first and last) is "trying to get clean". I could not believe that she was willing to do that to her daughter without considering how this will now follow her into her adulthood. Crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2boysmom Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 me too. Son will get his this weekend on his 13th b-day. I'm glad we waited. It was a good moral lesson for him, and he's excited and feels privileged to have an account. Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 It really bothers me when kids younger than 13 have facebook accounts. I'm a rule follower, too! In our family, we use available technology to teach our kids how to use it with moderation and common sense...limits, guidelines, security measures, etc. I don't think Facebook is 'evil' but most certainly can see how it can be used too much and/or in negative ways. I also tend to believe that to completely forbid something makes it more enticing. I have no problem with ds14 checking into Facebook a few minutes a day to find out what time lacrosse practice is and hearing the news that so-and-so got into the university she wanted and even joking with a buddy about the upcoming game. In some ways, it does help to keep him 'in the loop' with certain groups of friends that he doesn't see on a daily basis. Just another bit of info, my dh is an attorney and has used info from Facebook pages before in trials....all that info is fair game... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassiemc Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We won't allow our children to have accounts until they are 13 as well. I'm big on rules. My kids don't even ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I'd like to add that college admissions officers, potential employers, and criminals all routinely use fb to learn about people. I don't think most teens (and sometimes young adults) have the judgement to keep things off fb that shouldn't be there. (And that is before you get to what everyone else puts on there about you, or the cyberbullying, etc.) And many adults. There is a tendency to "vomit" information, emotions, personal content all over FB for the world to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 because I won't let my son get a Facebook account until he turns 13 in April. EVERYONE else has Facebook even though they're not 13, except for his one cousin who gets on her mom's account all the time. I've been surprised by how many people aren't bothered by lying about their kid's birthday, but that's their thing to deal with. But I know I can't really be the only extreme rule follower left on the face of the earth, can I? :bigear: Right there with you. My son is one of few holdouts who will not have a FB account until he turns 13. He says all his friends have them. I don't teach my kids to violate rules and lie to gain something that is not available to them and I'm not going to start now. I don't want them doing it before 13 to get a FB account or before 21 to get into a bar or anything else. I dislike it that so many parents condone lying in this fashion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I think we've had this discussion before (and I apologize in advance for potentially derailing this thread), but I'm very curious about the folks who are so completely adamant about not allowing Facebook at all. Why do you guys think it's evil? :iagree: I intend to let my kids have a FB account at 13 if they are mature enough. They'll get a talking to about internet security, bullying and coming to me if they are worried about anything they see. T hen I'll show them the Youtube video of that dad shooting his daughters laptop and impress upon them that I WILL find out about EVERYTHING :lol: I'm of the mind that the more you forbid it the more they will want it - so it's better to just teach them safety measures and give them a chance to act reponsibly. If they abuse it -they lose it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dansamy Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 because I won't let my son get a Facebook account until he turns 13 in April. EVERYONE else has Facebook even though they're not 13, except for his one cousin who gets on her mom's account all the time. I've been surprised by how many people aren't bothered by lying about their kid's birthday, but that's their thing to deal with. But I know I can't really be the only extreme rule follower left on the face of the earth, can I? :bigear: No you're not. I am. My children aren't allowed FB accounts. PERIOD. When they're grown, they can have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Rules are rules, just because his friends get to break them doesn't mean it's right. My kids had to wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 You can tell him that some moms don't let their kids get FB accounts at all. Maybe he'll be happier with your option! Before I became anti-FB I did let my oldest ds join, when he was 13. This...You can tell your son that I am much more unreasonable than you because my sons can't get one at all, not at 13, 15, or even 17...You can also throw in the fact that we don't even have a television, and you will come out looking great :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyGirl Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 This...You can tell your son that I am much more unreasonable than you because my sons can't get one at all, not at 13, 15, or even 17...You can also throw in the fact that we don't even have a television, and you will come out looking great :tongue_smilie: I used to dream about getting rid of my television! I live with it now, though...and since I've never let it be the centerpiece of our lives, I wonder how much my kids would even miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xilka Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I used to dream about getting rid of my television! I live with it now, though...and since I've never let it be the centerpiece of our lives, I wonder how much my kids would even miss it. We had TV for a few years and my son would mostly watch Discovery Kids. Got rid of it last July, no biggie. We didn't quite tell him it was going for good, just one day the cable was mysteriously no longer working, and there was no fixing it. I wish I had done it sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) because I won't let my son get a Facebook account until he turns 13 in April. EVERYONE else has Facebook even though they're not 13, except for his one cousin who gets on her mom's account all the time. I've been surprised by how many people aren't bothered by lying about their kid's birthday, but that's their thing to deal with. But I know I can't really be the only extreme rule follower left on the face of the earth, can I? :bigear: Got a 12 year old son myself, but he understands I am not backing down on this and doesn't even ask. I have a problem with the other parents who condone lying as well. Sure, there are some kids who just set up their own Facebook without their parents' knowledge, but the others were encouraged or at least permitted to lie to obtain something that is not available to them at this time. No, you aren't. I can't see how encouraging/allowing your kid to lie to get what he wants here won't come back and bite you in the b*tt later. It shall be interesting to see. I wish I'd never allowed it at all, actually, with the oldest. Edited February 26, 2012 by TranquilMind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 This...You can tell your son that I am much more unreasonable than you because my sons can't get one at all, not at 13, 15, or even 17...You can also throw in the fact that we don't even have a television, and you will come out looking great :tongue_smilie: Can I move into your neighborhood? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 because I won't let my son get a Facebook account until he turns 13 in April. EVERYONE else has Facebook even though they're not 13, except for his one cousin who gets on her mom's account all the time. I've been surprised by how many people aren't bothered by lying about their kid's birthday, but that's their thing to deal with. But I know I can't really be the only extreme rule follower left on the face of the earth, can I? :bigear: If I knew how to do a blue ribbon smilie I'd give you one. ;) you go girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 How do we know that college admissions officers do this? I'm not being argumentative, just curious. Is this established fact? I believe that some have admitted to it in the past. As have some employers. I can't remember exactly where I have read this but stories about people checking on social media to evaluate applications have been in the press for quite a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I believe that some have admitted to it in the past. As have some employers. I can't remember exactly where I have read this but stories about people checking on social media to evaluate applications have been in the press for quite a while. This article is just one of many that come up if you google "social media college admissions". So it happens, though not to every applicant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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