Kids and Instagram - do you allow?

[Anonymous]

Instagram does not allow users under the age of 13. It seems that a lot of
Parents in our ES are allowing their children to have accounts anyway. Do you? If so, why? How do you monitor their use?

[Anonymous]

Ummm no Instagram, Facebook, twitter, vine or any of the like. She/he can have whatever they like at the age of 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ummm no Instagram, Facebook, twitter, vine or any of the like. She/he can have whatever they like at the age of 18.

You're a fool, why would you restrict something like that? You deal with it when they are young and in the house where you can monitor and discuss appropriate use and teach. I wouldn't let them on in elementary, buy yes at 13.

[Anonymous]

I was wondering this too. My child is 10 and I was considering allowing it this year.

[Anonymous]

instagram is okay, but you have to be "following" them. if you don't they will make a secret account anyway. allow but with rules and boundaries.
you have to allow some freedom. don't ask about every post that you might not agree with. instagram is what all the kids use now. there are a ton of girls that post "sexy" photos. you have to explain about the consequences of posting pictures that are too personal.

--experienced mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ummm no Instagram, Facebook, twitter, vine or any of the like. She/he can have whatever they like at the age of 18.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

PP here, I think 13 is the minimum age, way too much adult content on there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Instagram does not allow users under the age of 13. It seems that a lot of
Parents in our ES are allowing their children to have accounts anyway. Do you? If so, why? How do you monitor their use?

Started with email (Gmail) at age 8. Then moved to Google+ (mostly for hangouts), Skype and private Twitter at age 10. Then moved to Instagram at age 12.

This worked for us -- YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there are a ton of girls that post "sexy" photos. you have to explain about the consequences of posting pictures that are too personal.

+1

same holds true for Twitter, Google+, YouTube comments, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm no Instagram, Facebook, twitter, vine or any of the like. She/he can have whatever they like at the age of 18.

You're a fool, why would you restrict something like that? You deal with it when they are young and in the house where you can monitor and discuss appropriate use and teach. I wouldn't let them on in elementary, buy yes at 13.

+1

With the understanding that any online content can and will be monitored and appropriate use will be monitored. They need to learn the NY Times rule early.

[Anonymous]

I do allow for my MS and up kids. But, I am not an Instagram fan. I am not very good with it and when my oldest went on, he ended up with followers who were older. It was a lot of work on my part to get them out of his life and it scared him a bit because he is not exactly sure how he ended up with the followers. We haven't had this problem with any of the other sites. Another one that I am not a fan of is snapchat because it is difficult to monitor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ummm no Instagram, Facebook, twitter, vine or any of the like. She/he can have whatever they like at the age of 18.

You clearly have a younger child because this is entirely unrealistic. Once kids get to high school there are official functions that are only communicated via facebook. Also EVERYONE is on these networks so your child will be socially isolated unless he is as well. Finally, you don't teach your child internet safety by banning it all together -- you teach internet safety by allowing it when they are old enough and easing them in with some monitoring and lots of discussion. But you will see this when your children get older. There is no question in my mind that you will change your mind.

My DS was on at 13 and came to us when he was troubled by a communication from an adult that he knew. We stepped in and everything was taken care of but I was glad that he knew he could come to us and that his antenna was up when something wasn't right.

[Anonymous]

There have been issues with Instagram at my elementary school (girls harassing/bullying other girls), so we don't allow it for our 11 year old. The kids have bad judgement.

I wouldn't really see any issue with 13 year olds.

[Anonymous]

This is what you need to do as a parent. Google your kids friends that are on instagram etc,. and see what comes up. you will be shocked what young kids put on there.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Their grandparents follow them because I don't have time for Instagram, i check it every once in a while.

My rules are you don't post anything that your grandparents would not want to see. You don't like or comment on anything that would shock your grandparents. No liking racial jokes (which is very common in a multicultural friendship base).

It took about 6 months for them to understand appropriate vs. not appropriate and a good learning tool. Social media IS a part of their lives and good social media practices need to start in middle school, high school is too late.