Teach Your Child the Dangers That Lurk on the Internet – Part 1

Should a Child 13 and Under Use Social Media?

A child younger than 13 years old should NOT be using social media tools, even with their parents permission.  Many children don’t realize the dangers that are lurking on the Internet.  A child doesn’t realize that they could potentially be talking to someone they don’t even know.  The person that is chatting with your child, might not be a child, but a child predator.  A young child even with boundaries, may not tell you about their online connections.  They are also not at the age where they can deal with these types of situations.

Should a Child Over the Age of 13 be Allowed to Use Social Media?

A child over the age of 13, can legally have an account on Facebook and other social media tools.  However, as a parent I feel that even at 13 my child is still very naive and doesn’t realize all of the dangers that can happen on the Internet.  As a parent you should constantly remind them that the Internet should be used with caution and that they need to tell you if something doesn’t seem right, such as cyber bullying, inappropriate conversations, photos, ect.  I will discuss some of these topics in a later post.

To be Continued: Teach Your Child the Dangers That Lurk on the Internet – Part 2.

Do you monitor your child’s internet activity?

Comments

32 responses to “Teach Your Child the Dangers That Lurk on the Internet – Part 1”

  1. Andrea Avatar

    Funny, I always think how lucky kids are today to have the internet for researching tools but never thought about the likelihood of them using those tools in a negative way as you mention below. Very good point!

    1. Christy Avatar

      I didn’t have the Internet when I was growing up, only those Bulletin Board Systems. I am telling my age now. 😉

  2. Amanda Avatar

    Great post! I teach 5th grade, and these are some of the points I try and teach both my students AND their parents.

    1. Christy Avatar

      Amanda this is very important since most parents may not realize the dangers, thank you so much for your dedication as a teacher.

  3. Barb W. Avatar

    Really solid advice! I totally agree that children over 13 still need boundaries and should have parental involvement, including an open dialogue.

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes, they do need boundaries and most parents don’t realize that kids that age thrive off of boundaries and parental involvement.

  4. rhonda Avatar

    So funny. Until the internet became more of the go-to resource, it was the encyclopedia.

    Great article. It’s terrifying to think of the things going on. Bullying, abductions, people pretending to be someone else — with everything happening online, it’s definitely best to keep kids educated, and while they’re under a certain age — supervised.

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes, it is very scary and the topics you mentioned are real and really do happen. Hey Rhonda there is your next idea for you a new book. *wink* *wink*

  5. Meli Avatar

    Excellent post. Unless you educate your children, have rules which you enforce it may be difficult for you to control what happens on the internet. The part of the brain that is used for reasoning isn’t developed until about the age of 21… therefore it’s important to become part of and remain part of your child’s internet experience.

    1. Christy Avatar

      I agree Meli, kids are very tech savvy and don’t know what life was like without it. It is necessary to set boundaries with your children.

  6. Don Purdum Avatar

    All great points. My son has been on sm since he was 14 and he’s 18 now. We monitored everything!!!

    1. Christy Avatar

      That is awesome Don, thank you for sharing.

  7. Pamela R Avatar

    these days there are so many new things popping up–as a parent really have to stay on top of things—I’m ALWAYS checking on what my kids are doing.

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes technology is constantly changing and evolving. Some how kids usually find out about new social media tools before we do.

  8. Jim Striegel Avatar

    My are grown now and it wasn’t as common as it is now. These are tough decisions to make now.

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes they are very touch decisions, thank you for sharing Jim.

  9. Terry Avatar
    Terry

    It is a scary world out there. don’t know what it will be like when my grandchildren get of age…

    1. Christy Avatar

      I understand Terry I have a 16, 12, and 2 year old. I bet things will be different when my 2 year old is able to use the computer too.

  10. Dov Shapira Avatar

    You must monitor your kids on the Internet

    1. Christy Avatar

      I agree Dov, thank you for sharing.

  11. Courtney~Mommy LaDy Club Avatar

    I’m so glad my step-daughters got old enough before social media really hit. It just makes parenting tougher in my opinion.

    1. Christy Avatar

      I agree Courtney, thank you for sharing.

  12. Erin Avatar

    Great info for parents! Kids seem to be using technology and getting into social media at younger and younger ages! So important for parents monitor their childrens behavior when it comes to being online/on social media outlets!

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes my daughter tried to create a facebook account before we allowed her too. We wanted to explain the rules before we allowed her to have an account.

  13. Katrina Bennetts Avatar

    Completely agree. Just because a child has the technical aptitude to use a social media platform doesn’t mean they have the maturity for it or are aware of the dangers and drawbacks.

    1. Christy Avatar

      So true Katrina. Thank you for sharing.

  14. Lexie Lane Avatar

    It scares me that everything is so accessible. Seems even if we try to shelter our children from certain things, they would definitely find out in such a short time just from the internet. Great post and a really important subject to take into consideration!

  15. Pat Moon Avatar

    The internet is such an amazing thing but with it comes great responsibility. I agree children should be supervised and even children over 13 should not have free access. I do not believe in computers in children’s rooms. They should be using the computer in full view of parents eyes. Thanks for a great article.

  16. Sharon O'Day Avatar

    This HAS to be one of the great challenges for parents today. So, so true: the technology is great, but the risk is even greater because of the degree of damage that can be done!

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes, kids don’t realize that what they say now can affect them for years to come. Especially, when it is time to get a job or go to a university.

  17. Carl Mason-Liebenberg Avatar

    The internet is a valuable tool but also a very dangerous place even for adults. get the sneezes, you google and you have cancer…so many dangers really! Great tips!!

  18. Angie B Avatar

    My oldest son is 12. I just got him a cellphone last year because he actually had a knife pulled on him on his way home from school and had to run over a mile home to get help. That scared me more than my apprehension about getting him a cell phone. Even with the cell phone I do weekly check on his cell phone to make sure there are no inapproriate texts, searches, emails, etc from anyone. I check his call logs and everything. we’re taking the step to get my oldest boys a computer for Christmas as their needs have been growing for researching and typing up papers. It’s going in a common room and there will be rules and supervision