7 Year Old W a Facebook

I have 3 girls 12, 11, and 9. None of them are on facebook or have cell phones. Maybe I'm over protective, but I just don't see why they need that stuff. They need to go play!

It's against Facebook's rules for anyone under the age of 13 to be on there.

So there's the answer.

I have a fb and I hate it! I'm deleting it. Seriously. The sheer number of grown women who are catty and have drama on facebook amazes me. One of my friends has her account and all of her young children are friends on it. She, herself, posts crazy, sexual innuendo's and scenerio questions to have her friends (some that are internet, never met in person friends) answer and her kids can read and even sometimes comment. One is a sixth grader (not hers, someone elses's). I was so uncomfortable that I quit posting on her wall.

So, short answer? NO!!!

That's against FB policy. You have to be 13 to have one. My daughter is 5 and was really pressuring me to have an account because she wanted to play some games on there. But I told her she was too young, even if she'd had a super secure account with only family members & trusted friends as her FB friends. There are so many social sites made especially for small children so I don't understand why this girls parents allowed her to have an account on there. I've seen some pretty bad stuff posted on there in completely open areas (also against FB policy) so who knows what this girl could see by accident? Her parents are either nuts or just don't care what their child does/sees online.

I think 7 is WAY too young for a facebook page. I remember when I first started using facebook...it was only for COLLEGE students! You could only make an account with your college email address. I think it should have stayed that way! JMO.

IMO way to young!!!! After much pleading and begging by them and research by me, we allowed both my DDs (13 and 14) to get a facebook account. Hubby and I included many rules. My daughters and I attended a workshop presented by a police officer about internet safety. Still my oldest used bad judgement, and her account has been closed. The point is FB can be a dangerous place and even with the best intentions and safety nets, kids make bad judgements.

Are you being mean? From your daughter's point of view, yes. From the point of view of other moms, maybe.
Are you being a good mom? Absolutely

NOT ONLY NO BUT HELL NO~!!!! You are SOOOOOO NOT BEING A MEAN MOM!!!!

You have to be at least 13 to have one - the other child's parents have just taught her that it's okay to break the rules.

Profile private or not - NO WAY!!! My son has one - I monitor it. I KNOW EACH AND EVERY PERSON ON HIS ACCOUNT. PERIOD. If I don't know them, they are gone. PERIOD. No foul language and no condescending attitudes allowed. period.

SEVEN YEARS OLD IS WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY too young. Sounds like your daughter needs to stop hanging with this other child - as she's going to learn it's okay to break the rules and it's okay to pressure "friends" into things....soooo glad that your daughter is ASKING first and that she is listening to you!!!

no way. im gonna hold off my kids as long as i possibly can, the computer is an open door into your home, and not only the pervs and nuts out there, but cyber-bullying is a huge problem, especially with girls, and with very scary and serious consequences. good for you for sticking to your guns.

Nope, not being mean at all.

It's the way of the world: kids will always want what other kids have, and some families will do things differently than others. Methinks it's been this way since the beginning of time. In the 1800's, the young master probably wanted a phaeton or barouche just like his friends had.... ha ha!

Isn't it great to know how to say 'no' to one's child?! Imagine giving them everything they want... eeek!

No, she's too young for her own account. There is way too much risk for little kids to click on some dumb ad there and totally jack things up, let alone the addiction of it all. Like you said, she can look at yours and see pictures and stuff. It gives her a reason to want to "grow up" some day and have some adult privileges. Cell phones, laptops, etc... should be carrots and not given to little kids that just arent ready for what electronic communication has to offer.

No your not being a mean mom! I know when my daughter is that age, She won't be having one either.

I honestly don't think a 7 year old should even be on the internet.

Uh, Oh! This could be the kid who gets a cell phone at 8, and is dating at 11. Let your daughter know now she is not keeping up.

Wow! Seven-year-old on Facebook? If you feel like you are being a mean Mom then you are doing your job! Who ever the parent is that allow their child on FB at six is insaine! I agree with the user below, children should not be on social forums; they should be outside playing and building their social and interactive skills. There is far too many adult things on FB that children can come across or get lured into unwillingly. It may seem a little lame but you should have the "If so and so jumped off a bridge, would you" discussion. I bet you are a fabulous Mom; you should never second guess your gut instincts or have a debate with your child about something you feel is right or wrong. At six, she has to learn what Mom and Dad say, goes. End of story. Put your foot down, Momma. Let her know their is a reason that you do things and its to protect her. You might not be popular but she will thank you when she is older, I thank my Dad for not giving into me whenever I asked for something and he said no for my benefit. Remember, you are the person that will ensure that she is a productive member of society. With the way the world is today, its great Mothers like you, who can make sure that she will be! Good luck!

there's no reason for a child that age to have a facebook acct. Hold your ground.

Wow, I was really glad to read all the responses that you got on this and the fact that I pretty much agree with all of them. My daughter is 9 and she has a few friends (probably more than what I know about) that have FB pages. I am lucky in the fact that at this point and time my daughter has absolutely no interest in the internet or social networking sites. I do not think that 9 year olds...or 10 year olds need to be on facebook. I have had a couple of her friends send me friend requests that I do not accept. I don't want to have to monitor what is said on my facebook page to protect someone else's child who I don't think should be on there in the first place.

Now on the topic of cellphones, that is a little different. My daughter does have a cellphone that she uses mainly in the summer. The reason for this is because I do not have a landline phone in my house and I had a sitter watching my daughter and one of her friends in my house this last summer and wanted me daughter to have someway to contact me at all times. She does not take the phone to school and actually the only number that her friends have to reach her is my cellphone.

My daughter is 8 and many of the kids in her class have a facebook; too bad for my daughter. Social networking is a big responsibility and in my humble opinion opens the door for online bullying. Not for my kiddo, not for a long while.

Not only would I say no, I would start having my daughter play with other children who come form homes where the parents are a little more responsible.
And I have turned away children at the door and said "No J cannot play".

Mine at home are 15, 13, and 10. No facebook accounts, and my daughter can get one when she goes to college if she so chooses, I will advise her against it though.

NO WAY for a kid that age.

I am on fb and love it. My 12 almost 13 year old 7 th grader tells me she is the only person in her grade that is not on it...Oh well! I will not let her have account....although I probably will let her when she is in HS. 7 yrs old on FB is ridiculous in my opinion.

.

Nope! You have to be 13 according to the rules of the site. And that is the age when my kids joined.

Keep strong! You are a great mother and no seven year old should be on facebook.

I'm not anti facebook either. The great 'thing' about facebook is that you get to continue long lost friendships that have become this way because of time or distance. It also strengthens a community of 'friends'. For instance I am 'friends' with a great deal of the mothers at my kids' school. Children are together at school all day long and they certainly don't need to go home and 'chat' about each other to each other.

I don't want my children to think friendship is that shallow either. It tends to be people just shouting out their accomplishments or what they are doing that minute. I think it also creates a false 'closeness'.

Good luck. I have an 11, 7 and 17 month old. I find it is harder to parent the 11 year old for just this reason. There are just so many ways to grow up too fast!

No, your not being mean mommy!

~I am by no means "anti-FB" either and am probably a lot more lax on all "screen time" in general, than most Moms on here... but even I would not and have not let my kids get a FB account that young. My oldest kids just barely got them about a year and a half ago and they are 19, 16 & 15....my 11 yr old nephew just recently got one and I questioned my sister as to why he even needed one?

NO -that's the dumbest thing I've heard in awhile. I have an almost 5 year old boy and several close friends with 6 and 7 year old boys and girls and the thought of any of them (or my son in 2 years) having a Facebook page is ridiculous! You're not mean!

LOL. Um no. I think you need to be 14? to have a FB acct. So - the 7 year old's Mom is showing her 7yo that it is OK to lie about your age. I'm guessing and hoping this kid has an acct only to play a game? I don't play any but have heard that kids like farmville. Maybe that is all they are doing? I'd get more info on that but no no no, you aren't a mean Mom and the thought of a 7 yo "pressuring" a 6 yo to do anything blows my mind. Not a kid I'd want my child around. Also - you are the Mom. You can't worry that your child may think you are mean. Your kids WILL think you are mean sometimes - oh well.

Kids under 13 aren't allowed to have a Facebook account. They would have to put the wrong year for her birthday when they signed her up for an account. Facebook takes this very seriously. You can report it anonymously here: http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=underage

i was pretty annoyed when my 5 year old nephew sent me a friend request. i'm an adult and make adult posts and occasional strong language on my FB. littles have no business there.
khairete
S.

it's totally inappropriate.

no way!!! 6 and 7 are too young!!! He sould just be her FB buddy through you.

That's crazy! Kids are supposed to be at least 13 according to Facebook's rules, and I even think that's young because they are at that awkward age when they can really cause trouble or get hurt by other people's words. FB was started for college students, and I think that's the youngest crowd who should be using it (JMO). There are so many better things a 7 year old can be doing, both on the computer and off!

Nope -- You are not a mean mom. You are a parent and parenting involves making tough but caring decisions on your child's behalf.

I like me some FB and certainly do not think it is the source of all evil but I have banned it for our 10 yr old (for now, he really doesn't care much about it). I have also denied (as politely as I can) all friend requests from those <19 like cousins and nieces and nephews.

Nope you aren't! In fact, the other girl's mom is having her lie about her age so she can have one (you have to be 13), which I think is completely inappropriate! Good for you for standing your ground!

HOLY COW!! Absolutely now! I will show my kids (7, 5, and 3) pictures of our family, but most of the things on FB are NOT for my kids to see. That is INSANE!! There is an age requirement there for a reason. You are right!

Well my kids are not joining Facebook. My oldest is 11 yrs old. There is access to information that I don't want my children to be exposed to. I want to keep them sheltered for as long as possible.
On other note my son ( 11 yr old again) is the ONLY one out of all his 5th/ 6th grade friends that doesn't have a cell phone. I am holding out to get him one as long as possible.

NO, you are not being mean. I have a 7yo myself and I would never dream of giving her a FB profile. Why can't we just let them be SEVEN...there's time for that later.

No. My grandaughter got a myspace when she was in 6th grade and all it was was drama, she then got a facebook her freshman year and shes gotten so sick of it that she deactivated it a couple months ago. Tell her she should wait till shes atleast in 6th grade, maybe older, and give you her passwords to everything so you can moniter.

No, you're being reasonable. Kids need to unplug (so do adults, for that matter). I'm in no rush to get my almost 4 year old on the computer - another year, maybe, and then he can play educational games cause I don't want him to be behind for school. But facebook is for young adults, not kids and tweens. There are just too many creepy people, and too much potential for cyber bullying to even go there.

I agree I don't think someone that young should have a facebook page. My 14 year old stepson wanted to get one a few years ago and my husband and I said "no". He is 14 now and has one but we monitor it VERY closely as there are alot of weirdos. I think you are making a good decision by sticking to your guns here and you could always suggest that your daughter be a part of your page so she feels somewhat included (just like you have been doing) and make her feel like you and her "share" your page until she is old enough to get one of her own.

Facebook is for adults. End of story.

Updated

Facebook is for adults. End of story.

Hi Jamie I would not let my child have a face book, children grow up way to fast as it is. I think children this age should be outside playing not in front of face book. Just my opinion. J.

I'm actually leaning more and more towards it, and I've been vehemently anti-kiddo(ds8)-having-an-account-until-some-distant-time-that-FB-has-been-replaced-by-something-else-by-then.

Currently he stays in contact with his friends via parents, phone, text, email, xboxLive, Roblox, postcard, iChat, & Skype. It would be nice to have a consolidation place.

I'm not on board, yet. But I can see myself leaning in that direction. As long as they have a min age at 12 I at least have that excuse. But the SHEER number of ways that he stays in contact with people (over 10 states and 3 countries, not including this one) is a little overwhelming.

CURRENTLY I get away with the panacea "People/Families have different rules." We'll see.

Six and seven year olds on facebook....no way.
That's just my personal opinion.
Kids will try to pressure others, or kids see it as pressure, if they don't do what other kids do.
But, saying NO in the first place is always easier than then tracking back.
Don't let your child tell you what is and isn't "cool" or what everyone else is doing just so you go along.
Kids are starting things way too early in my opinion and frankly, it's not like they can't live without it.
They might THINK they can't, but too bad.
I wouldn't bear to pressure and I wouldn't let my child do it either.
Again, just my opinion.

nope you are right. I don't have one but I thought you were supposed to be 13 or something to have one???? IDK. but 7 WAY too young.

Not a mean mom at all. My 9 year old has asked for FB a few times..too young..no need. They can see and communicate with their friends at school like real children not behind a computer screen where a world of craziness lies beneath the web.

I made my son wait until he turned 13 to join FB. He tried to open an account when he was 12 and I shut it down. When he did finally join, I was FLOORED to see that ALL his "friends" had HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS (one kid has over 1000) of " friends", leading me to believe they've all had accounts for a long time. I suspect my daughters will get FB accounts earlier than my son did. They're 8 and 10...I wouldn't be surprised if they start bugging me about FB withinn the next year. I have not decided yet what I'll do when that time comes...That being said, 6 and 7 are WAAAY too young. Stick to your guns, you're not mean at all!

No, you are totally right. I made my daughter wait until she was 14 (and even now that she is 15, I monitor her account). Kids don't understand how easily they can be manipulated and taken advantage of (or even abused) due to their lack of sophistication. Imo, nobody under age 13 should be anywhere near Facebook. There are a lot of very savvy pedophiles who know how to melt the hearts of young girls.

Well, each of my kids have a facebook, but that is more so I relatives can post pics of them and I can know when those pics go live. (My kids are 5, almost 3 and 10 months so they have nothing to do with their facebook account... I do it all)