Kids and the Internet?

This is hard because my oldest is only 7 but I think high school too for the myspace. Also would have her password and log her in and out myself. IM not a chance until she is in high school, maybe junior high but I would definatly have all the logs. I don't look at it as invasion of privacy I look at it as protecting my babies from all the sickos and weirdos there are out there.

I have a 12 yr old and she goes on the net but instant messengers no way.There are a lot of crazy people out there and they lie about their age also so they can chat with our little ones to lure them in and hurt the.So I would advise that you wait until about 15 then you can give i.m a try.Only that they only chat with friends no one else.No I.M are good at this time for younger children.

I think high school is a good age group to allow myspace. As for messenger, why not try any of them? You can have them save the logs automatically :))) which means you could review them...you could get a progam like net nanny which would allow you to limit the messenger. Pablo

My internet rules were that they could use instant messenger, email and even chat rooms as soon as they were old enough to use the computer- but I have their passwords, the computer is in the living room where I can see what they're doing. Rather than make it a big taboo that they can't do it until they're X age, I felt they were safer using it with supervision and input from me. If I saw someone sending an inappropriate IM, I was there to block the address and tell my kid why. My kids have just always accepted that they get no privacy on the computer and never really complained about it. I still know my 19 year olds passwords, even though I gave up checking up on him years ago.

I don't think they should be allowed to such sites at an early age. I mean emailing to your friends and just surfing the net with supervision of parents is fine, But there are dangers in the social networking sites and messengers. Youhave t be careful while dealing with these issues. Even if you are allowing your child to these sites, i would say, keep a birds eye on what he/she is doing.

I think 12 is an ok age for instant messengers. If you do not allow your child to add anyone they do not know personally then they should not get any perverts on their list. All instant messengers should come with an option to save logs and you can tell her that from time to time you will be reading her logs. She will probably go totaly INSANE on your for "invading her privacy" (actually, thinking about my parents reading my instant messenger logs is making me mad just thinking about it haha). But you can tell her the dangers of adding people she doesnt know (look up actual accounts of this happening so she does not think you are just over reacting). MSN messenger is probably one of the safest instand messengers as the only way you can look up a contact is to have their email address, you can not search for random people to chat with.

i don't have a child yet... but 12 years old i think is way too young to be using IM, myspace or facebook... they are so many bad people out there nowadays that we don't know and these children are still very innocent at that age... email is fine as long as she just use it to communicate with her friends and family members... as for social rooms, i think 16 is the proper age to use it...

I think fourteen or fifteen is a reasonable age, but still under supervision, because you never know who's lurking about in the shadows, and kids are not always so wised up, even at that age. I definitely think they need to be supervised until after school leaving age. As far as IMs go, I use MSN, AIM and Yahoo. You can always monitor whom she has on her buddy list on any of these, and block all others out of her messenger. That way, you can be sure she's only talking to her friends. But, again, you would have to supervise her activity times. Brightest Blessings.

mine has just turned 13yrs old. she is allowed email with about 5 friends, and family members of course. she is allowed on a couple of kid message boards (4kidsTV.com about cartoons etc.) but absolutly NO Im's and No to myspace of facebook! waay to many perverts out there, and there WILL be inappropriate messages sent thru IM"s no matter what! you can make a new screen name and then sign onto whatever IM program you like, sit there for a couple of hours and eventually you will get im's from strangers who want you to look at their body parts etc. in my house she wont get near myspace until she is 16yrs old..and i will have to seriously consider it before saying yes. same thing for IM's. like the person above stated, it may be strict but you could be saving your childs life!

Hello! You are not alone in your struggle! My daughter is 13 and my son 15 and have also recently requested to go on My Space. I have their passwords and I check it, but I also made myself a MySpace page and now I get on also and "chat" with their friends as well. This way I keep an eye on the entire group. Several of their friend's mothers have done the same and we take turns checking and report any questionable items. Also, I don't know if you use AOL or not, but if you do, you can give them their own screen name and set it up age appropriate so they only get access to certain web sites. This works well for me too! Good luck with your teen!

I do not think any age is appropriate but if their friends are doing it then its only natural that they are going to want to. The trouble with the no word is that sometimes they will find a way to do what they want to do anyway and then there is the liklihood of them going behind your back. When my eldest first wanted to go on, I set the rules that he was allowed on at certain times, no computer in his room and I stressed the importance of being careful with strangers, not to tell them too much and only talk to them online, never arrange to meet anyone offline. I encouraged him to tell me what and who he spoke to without appearing to be too nosy and mummyish, I showed an interest in him and what he was doing and never hovered over him. Whatever sites they go on, you can check them out anyway before or while they are active on them so then you can use your own judgements.

if they know how to use it at the early age... i will allow her... hands on computer will help them explore their knowledge... just be sure to guide them always to a better learning

I think that at this age the children cancomunicate very well with friends, colleagues, family members. I have nothing counter the Internet and emails and instant messengers and chat rooms and community sites as far as the child doesn't stay too long at the computer and he is permanently supervised by the parents. Yes, is true that the internet is full with bad things too, but i believe that the children can learn much from the internet, like any informations they need for school, they are interested to, comunicating, etc. I subliniate only with the supervision of parents!!!

there's nothing wrong letting a child learn how to surf the net as long there's a supervision or guidance from a parent or guardian. I guess if the child is 13 and below, an adult must always be there to check. Because anything can be access now via the internet, both constructive and destructive to rhe mind of a child. Just be observant.

i think kids of this age should not be actively engaged in network. it can harm them. they actually do not know what is good and bad. there are everything on net. they acn just fell victim of those.

Kids shouldnt be allowed to brows through internet on their own.There should be some body beside them to keep an eye on them.Their systems should be installed with software which will block adult sites.

i think you are right ! the kid cann't too surff the internet so early ! he doesn't have ability to distinguish whish is good which is bad!

Its better that kids do not involve in chat room / instant messengers. They could play soccer / baseball during that time which is more required for their mental and physical growth. But Kids are required to browse through the internet to complete their assignments and to learn more things about their subjects. This can be done under the guidance of elders.