Should I let my girls get Instant Message?

Question

My twin girls, Ashley & Cheyene(12), asked me if they could get an instant message screenname. I don't know much about instant meassage. Can someone explain it?? Also can someone tell me their opinion about my 12 yr. old girls getting instant message?

Answer 1

Basically IM is where you can send instant emails very fast on one screen.
Let them IM, but regularly check up on them, and make sure they aren't doing anything bad, only use it for a small amount of time, and know how to use it. Teach them about the bad stuff that can happen (like the old men thing). They will do all they can to get it, and most likely will behind your back at some point. The least you can do is tell them to use it responsibly.

Answer 2

Ya, you should. I think that is when I got Instant Messaging. People really do make a bigger deal out of it than they should. I've had it for like 2-3 years and not one person that I or one of my friends do not know has instant messaged me. All I think you should do is just to check and make sure they're talking to people they know about appropriate things. A good idea is just to go over there and look at the list of online people and just simply ask who that person is. It really is stupid about how adults make a humungous thing out of it though. There really aren't that many online predators and things like that. There are, but if you make sure they know who they are talking to, then things would be alright. It's a good way of keeping up with your friends and sometimes even homework help.

Answer 3

I did when I was 12. For me at the time it was a BAD idea! My foster parents only let me talk to people I know, so I did at least when they were around. I got in chatrooms when my foster parents were not around, well sometime even when they were right there but they did not realize it I would claim the people I met in chatrooms were really random people from my school that I never even hardly talked to. Ended up meeting people in my city which I didn't think would happen because its a small town. Guy ends up showing up at the house after talking to him a few times. Had to get a restraining order and everything. So I guess it depends on how your girls are.

Answer 4

A male coworker putting a kiss on the top of an e mail isn't suited until eventually he's likewise a buddy. Sexual harassment rules are very strict until eventually you're pals, that only isn't a clever flow for a guy these days notwithstanding if he's only enjoying. If a buddy places a kiss in a text textile this is distinctive. He ought to easily be being playful.

Answer 5

Instant Messanger is just like it sounds. The popular system around my area is AOL (there's different systems such as MSN, yahoo, etc). These systems can be set so that your children can only get instant messages (IM's) if the other person's screen name (the one sending) is on your child's list. This means that they cannot get IM's if they don't know the person.

IM, just like using anything on the internet, is a system of trust. If you trust your children not to get involved with people they do not know, then IM seems like the right option. If they seem like the would give out information and talk to people they do not know, they definitely let them get a screen name!

Also, sit down with them when they are making their screen name. Make sure you know their log in (password, and user name) so, if you need to you can get on when you need to. Every few weeks go through their buddy list with them and make sure they can give you real names for every screen name on that list. If the computer is in the living room, when they are IMing ask them who that person is, and what they might be talking about. IM is not a private thing in my house, its used for pointless conversations and homework help (it also helps to free up the phone lines with my teenagers).

Answer 6

Bad idea. It will make it easier for creeps to talk to them. Best to just be the mean Mom and let them use the phone or suffer till they can get back to school to talk to their friends. IM is not in my house and I'll never allow it. Its too easy for kids to make bad choices because they think they are invincible and that being behind a computer screen makes them safer than talking in person. Its too easy for creeps to milk a teen's affections to the point that they believe the creep actually cares. Then suddenly your child is another story on the 6 0'clock news. Just say no now and don't even take the chance. Its not safe.

Answer 7

I did have a s/n up until I was 11, but then my dad took it off because he found out that I used the word f*uck in one of my messages so then he took it away, but now I have it back. I would say let them have a s/n on AIM. Just monitor it and make sure they aren't talking to anyone they don't know.

Answer 8

yeah, its not a bad thing, its like e-mail only its instant. you can have a conversation like you would if you were on the phone. if they are that age a lot of their friends probably have screennames too. its not a bad thing and its not dangerous as long as they know not to talk to people they dont know.

Answer 9

Ok well I'm 14 in case you wanted to know. Yea IM is just for people to communicate with friends and stuff over the internet. You might want to keep track of them(dont spy on them!) but sometimes people (especially guys) will try to talk to you and stuff but thats like only in the chatrooms especially AIM chatrooms.

Answer 10

One benefit of IM that nobody mentions is that kids get very good at typing. This is important these days; it will help at school and in almost any line of work. A person who can't type is at a disadvantage in our computer age. So, if you are satisfied with the safety issues, go for it.