Should my 12 and 14 year old have a myspace?

Question

They are 12 and 14 does your children have one what do you think of it? I personally prefer for them not to have one because it will take that much more time away from the lack of chores they already do, What do you think????

Answer 1

Should they? I don't see the purpose. I got bored of Myspace after a few weeks, then Facebook after a few months. Now I just keep in touch with long-distance friends via email.

But the reality is that if you don't allow them to create an account, they're going to find a way. If not at home, at school - kids already are finding out about the various sites they can visit to access blocked URLS. Then it will be out of your control.

The best way to mediate is to make 'web popularity' less interesting for them. Teach them how to socialize responsibly in person. Give them responsibilities around the house, sign them up for activities they'll enjoy (sports, other hobbies). If your children are always busy being popular and mature in their own rights, they'll spend more time maintaining those real relationships as opposed to becoming confused about 'cyber' relationships.

But if that fails, you can take the old buzzkill approach. Make an account for yourself and pretend to love Myspace. Anything mother-approved can't be that cool, right? :)

Answer 2

No. I got one at age 16, and noticed quickly that it's for people 16 + up. Since I've had it for a while. I can say that I hate it when middle schooler's have a myspace, and elementary students having a myspace is just plain wrong. There are forums in the groups and school pages. For the schools they only go as low as High Schools, and for good reason. When middle schooler's go on the high school forums (has a lot of swearing) they try to act big and bad. Don't even get me started on the pictures that people take just for myspace. That's why I think they are way to young to have a myspace. The absolute youngest is a freshmen in high school (age 15).

If they already have a myspace, you can go to myspace and look at the help section to get it removed

Here is a link for parents:

http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=misc.faq&Category=9&Question=38

Hope this was helpful.

Answer 3

I'm 14 and I have had my myspace for about a year now. It is true that there is adult content and langauge on myspace, but if you monitor your childs myspace then they probably wont be exposed to it. Just make sure, if you let them have one, that it is set on private, and that you look at it every once in a while.

Get involved, ask them who they're talking to, and if they give you any grief about that then they probably arent mature enough to handle one. Give them a chance, and if it doesn't work out, or if it takes up to much of there lives, well then at least they'll know you gave it a shot.


Good Luck!

Answer 4

My 14 year old stepdaughter has had a MySpace for the past 2 years. At first she didn't tell us and then I happened to realize she had it one day...I just made sure that she has it "private" so that it's blocked from any ol' weirdo looking at it. She ONLY has her actual school friends that she KNOWS and family members, on her Friends list. We've also stressed that she not give out ANY information to ANYONE via the internet, such as her name, number, school name, where she lives, etc. And her mom has her password (she made her give it to her).

I thought she was way too young when she was 12...and even at 14 I think it's a bit too young, but it's not really up to ME to decide...and as long as she's being smart and safe, and isn't one of those little "hussies" putting up silly "sexy" pictures of herself...well, then we're fine with it for now. She doesn't neglect schoolwork or chores or anything else.

Edit: Kids these days hear and see some pretty strong content ALL around them...at school, at the mall, in the movies, at home on the tv, etc. You can't really shelter them, just make sure they're aware of their surroundings and what dangers are out there and keep a moniter on them.

Answer 5

I would say YES. I say that cause they can keep in tough with there friends. Unless they have a cell phone, then they can keep in touch through that, my children have been asking for a cell phone and one day it snapped to me that they are only children once, you dont want them to grow up saying how strict you were , then then they might not want to come to you when they have bigger problems, cause they know you'l say no. You want them saying how fun there childhood was. Here i have to admit i was a stict mom, really strict no cell phone no boy/girlfriends, i wouldnt even allow boys to call and like i said one day it came to me, like if your so strict its like your Myspace isnt that bad just make sure they put there profile on private then they would be no harm done. Go ahead give um one if they lack on there chores sit down some rules then. I hope your children the best. Hang a little loose mom. :)

Answer 6

No. There are many perverts and child molesters out there.

A lot of 11 year olds do it already. It's inapropriate. It's just not right, what's the point? I guess it would be okay for them to have a myspace, but no pictures of them.

AND:
Even if they say 'Oh mom, it will be private,' it's not. Nothing is private on the internet. Other people can still get on. My school's police acess peoples (private) myspaces from my school everyday just to see whats going on.

Answer 7

It can be fun for them to keep in contact with friends but it can let them get into trouble, too. Set limits on how much time they can spend on the internet and insist on them letting you look on their account (get their password). Ask them who the people on their "friends list" are. Don't let them put any personal information on it. If they refuse, or seem to be abusing your rules get a security software that will block that site.

I trust my daughter on it because she immediately tells me when she gets messages from strangers and blocks them. I look at it as a way to teach her how to be alert to danger. When she is on the internet it is in a room with the door open and the screen facing the door so she cannot hide what she's doing.

It may sound paranoid but I know someone who's kid got on a plane across the country to meet someone - before myspace was around so its not the only source of trouble.

And I don't think a 12 year old is mature enough to handle the responsibility but you have to be the judge of that.

Answer 8

It depends somewhat on your kids, but in generally I'd say it's a bad idea for kids that age to have MySpace pages. However, I wouldn't be so much concerned that they'd waste their time on it, but rather that it's a favorite hunting ground for all sorts of Internet preditors. MySpace is very popular with young teens, it encourages users to meet new people and make new friends, it encourages the posting of personal information, and it's not monitered or moderated in any meaningful way. In short, it's a pedophile's dream come true.

I might also point out that MySpace has a minimum age limit of 14. Your 12 year old would have to lie about her age to sign up. The reason they set that limit is that they don't think the site is safe for kids under 14.

Like I said, it does depend a little on your kids, and you know your kids better than I do. There are some kids out there who use the Internet very responsibly. If your kids are going to use MySpace only to keep in touch with friends they know in real life, and not to meet new people, and they keep everything set to private, don't talk to people they don't know, and are very closely supervised, it might be fine. But I wouldn't recommend taking that risk.

Answer 9

Okay well I'm almost 16, and some of the stuff on myspace that I've seen has been offensive and just sick, and if I was like freaked out by it, I would not want your 12 or 14 kids to see it...that bring said, kids have to grow up sometime, and I know what it's like to feel controlled by your parents. Maybe you can let them try it for a while, but have strict rules about it, and tell them that you're going to be checking their profiles too.

Answer 10

1) its dangerous
2) the 12 year old can't have it anyways, cause its supposed to be 13 or 14 and up.

if they persist or they show an improvement in grades or chores n helping out, let them have one BUT:

1) it must be on private
2) you must have access to it so you know who they're talking to and whats on it
3) don't let them talk to strangers and can only add friends that you know
4) don't even let them put personal personal info on there, even though its private (like their fears, where they go to school, etc)

if they get snippy with you or don't do as their told and follow these rules, then get a blocker n block myspace altogether until they get their act together