Anonymous wrote:Kids don't bother with email. Texting is the main mode of communication. So the question is when does he or she get a cell phone.

I'm the one with the 12 yr old DD. She got texting on her iPod touch when she was 10 I think. She was going to school on mass transit and had to text me when she got there. She knows I can ask to see her texts at any time, but I also know it'd hurt her feelings. I've found though, I can tell her to wash a sink full of dishes and then say "Oh, Erin texted you. She says "blah blah." What do you want me to text her back?" and then I play secretary for DD for a few minutes. While I'm doing that, I read other texts.

Sometimes DD says curse words. Some kids say rude things and DD responds with emojis. Actually I have seen her have entire "conversations" over text with just emojis. Every so often she will gossip about someone, but it's always with someone the other person doesn't know. So she'll tell an old friend from elementary school about a girl in middle school she's being forced to partner with on a project. i'm not thrilled with that, but also know damn well I did the same thing at that age.

Kids don't bother with email. Texting is the main mode of communication. So the question is when does he or she get a cell phone.

DS has had an email account for 2 yrs and is 10 now, but his address book is only populated with family & teacher contacts. None of his friends have email accounts and only one of them uses text message/FaceTime with him via a parent's account.

Like other parents, we have an agreement that we can see any texts and emails at any time, no changing password. Frequent reminders that, since his friends don't have private email accounts, their parents will be seeing any notes that he sends, so they all need to be polite and not too crazy with the emoticons.

DD1 is 9. She has a Zoobuh account, I think I paid $12 for it. I get a copy of every email that goes in/out and have to approve incoming and outgoing emails. She asked for email so she could write to friends from school, camp, cousins etc. You can change the settings to approved senders (for example, her grandmother) that I don't have to review. She knows I can read her emails. She has been fine with it.

DD2 is 7. She doesn't mess with emails and exclusively uses burner phones.

I just allowed my 10 yo boy to have an email account. We have the PW and can check it anytime, and he knows this, and he's not allowed to change the password.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was 9 or ten. Every once in a while I check her emails. She was told I have the right but probably forgot by now. While she's done things that have surprised me it's never been anything inappropriate. I just never expected her to sign up for a Keds newsletter.

Is she a Taylor Swift fan? TS does endorsements for Keds; maybe there was a contest or something going on.

She used to be more of an Arrianna Grande girl, but this was like a year ago. These days I think she's more into her actual life than celebrities lives.

Anonymous wrote:She was 9 or ten. Every once in a while I check her emails. She was told I have the right but probably forgot by now. While she's done things that have surprised me it's never been anything inappropriate. I just never expected her to sign up for a Keds newsletter.

Is she a Taylor Swift fan? TS does endorsements for Keds; maybe there was a contest or something going on.

She was 9 or ten. Every once in a while I check her emails. She was told I have the right but probably forgot by now. While she's done things that have surprised me it's never been anything inappropriate. I just never expected her to sign up for a Keds newsletter.

At what age did your child get his/her own email account?
At what age would you suggest a child get his/her own account
What has worked, not worked, what would you suggest regarding parental monitoring?

Also, My two children are very different. one responsible and one a bit on the sneaky side. Please share what has worked for a family.

Thanks.