13 year old talking to strangers online
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Do you like your DC to talk to kids online on Discord?
I saw the nothings its all normal so nothing inappropriate, but I find it odd that when they intro they have to say their pronouns... is this normal for kids now days?? |
Anonymous
| I don't allow communicating with strangers online. |
Anonymous
| Nope! |
Anonymous
|
Uh no.
Are you serious OP? Guess what the “kids” sometimes aren’t kids. Do you need people to spell it out for you? |
Anonymous
And you’re sitting with them all the time when they are online. Lol, ok. |
Anonymous
| Sheesh, I can’t believe the stupidity. |
Anonymous
| Lot of catfishing. |
Anonymous
Lol 
There are ways. Depends on how sneaky your kid is. |
Anonymous
|
I would be very leery of this. I talk with my tween about only chatting on games with friends you know in person--how you know who they are, I will know the parents if there were a problem with bullying, and how unlikely it is that another student you know in person is chatting with you for a reason they aren't disclosing. I tell my tween that someone you don't know could be an adult. Could ask you for money. Could be sneakily testing you to see if you would be a good candidate for something dangerous or dark (we watch some Marvel comics on Netflix, so I usually use those story lines as examples, even though they are fake.)
Could he talk to someone he doesn't know? yes. Sometimes he is on with "friends of friends" which I'm not crazy about. But I think the important thing is to give your child the awareness that things are not always what they seem. One example which isn't sexual is this story: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/05/660642531/right-wing-hate-groups-are-recruiting-video-gamers |
Anonymous
| Stating pronouns is pretty normal with 13 yos who live in a liberal area/run in liberal circles – I wouldn't be too worried about that. I agree with PP – have really honest and open conversations about internet safety and what steps they should take to protect themselves. But I would also realize that kids can and do make friends over the internet – it's just a normal part of their world. You just want to make sure you know who those people are and banning it 100% is the best way to ensure they sneak around behind your back. |
Anonymous
| As someone who had unfettered and unsupervised access to internet chat rooms as a tween and teen, NO. |
Anonymous
|
Strangers, no way in hell. People he knows in real life, yes.
Pronoun introductions are pretty standard now. All of my son’s online classes have the kids add pronouns in their screen name “if comfortable with doing so”. |
Anonymous
| WTH.No. Limited use, in private rooms with real life friends only. |
Anonymous
| No, very bad idea. Based on my experience, you (and your partner if you have one) should consider taking a firm stand on monitoring and limiting electronics use while that window is still open. |
Anonymous
| Nope, one parent is always supervising. |