Anonymous
07/30/2025 07:59
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
And the total school ban is an unenforceable joke. As you see my post about the burner phones. They put one phone in the pouch/holder/locker and have their other phone for themselves. Many teachers don’t even enforce it anymore because such a high percentage have ar least two phones now.
Anonymous
07/30/2025 07:56
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read any good reasons to allow Snapchat for minors in this thread. All just bad outcomes and parents afraid of parenting.
Sums it up.
But kids will use it regardless, as parents cannot control their online behavior. Kids always find out how to get around any restrictions.
Best to just make it something undesirable. Like "video games are for geeks and nerds" and they will never want to play video games.
Not true. You can easily block Snapchat on your kids phone and/or on your home router. Sure they could get a burner phone but most kids don’t have the ability or motivation to do that for Snapchat, it’s not that big of a deal.
Kids all have varying access to apps so in my experience most kids just text because that’s what everyone has.
You could not be more wrong. All you need is an old phone and wifi access. Even if they don't have one lying around the house, kids give them to friends at school or rent/sell them for like $10-20. And your home router can not block an app. There is so many work arounds. And at least in my kid's public school, the wifi is free and it allows snapchat. And if they can't do that, they just create their own account on a friend's phone and then use it and log on thru friends phones multiple times a day. It is very very easy for one person to have 3-4 log ins of friends on snap on their phone.
Listen, I get it. You try your best, but the fact is once teens get to an age where 90% of them are communicating only thru Snap, they don't want to be the one left out. I understand avoiding it in middle school, but it's better to come up with guidelines together, at least by high school. For my 15yr old, I have the app on my phone with her log ins and only I know the password and the account is under my cell and email, so I get notifications of changing passwords or adding anything. She gets 60min a day on app limits also run thru my phone thru family sharing. She has to keep on 24hrs to delete, not delete immediately. I can technically log in any time and check and she won't know when I do. At this point, I barely check. She and her friends like changing their bit moji and tracking where they are and send stupid things thru their private stories. A lot of moms are on snap too. It's a way to keep in touch and keep a snap streak going. I can totally see how much fun it is. For the way I have set up, it is much safer than iMessages that can be deleted quickly and can only be checked by accessing their phone directly. Snap keeps a log if I request it and I can check her snap even if she is not home or away on vacation with a friend etc....
You can block burner phones or whatever devices you want on your home router.
So we’re left with snap-determined kid buys an old phone off a school buddy and only uses it on school wifi, where our school does not allow phone use during school hours? Or creates an account they check on other kids’ phones when they are alone? I’d prefer that risk over allowing it everyday.
DP. Okay, be that parent. Your kid has a burner phone. There are more and more every year and the kids with the strictest parents or the ones that get their phones taken for punishment all have them. They also have VPNs installed and if they are even a little tech savvy, you don’t know when they are connecting to your home device and they can get around any of your controls or the school controls. -J’s teacher
Anonymous
07/30/2025 01:14
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
It’s not the *only* way.Anonymous wrote:Some of you parents are so uptight.
Your kid has Snapchat whether you think they do or not. It’s the only way kids text
Anonymous
07/30/2025 01:00
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Some of you parents are so uptight.
Your kid has Snapchat whether you think they do or not. It’s the only way kids text
Your kid has Snapchat whether you think they do or not. It’s the only way kids text
Anonymous
07/29/2025 18:16
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read any good reasons to allow Snapchat for minors in this thread. All just bad outcomes and parents afraid of parenting.
Sums it up.
But kids will use it regardless, as parents cannot control their online behavior. Kids always find out how to get around any restrictions.
Best to just make it something undesirable. Like "video games are for geeks and nerds" and they will never want to play video games.
Not true. You can easily block Snapchat on your kids phone and/or on your home router. Sure they could get a burner phone but most kids don’t have the ability or motivation to do that for Snapchat, it’s not that big of a deal.
Kids all have varying access to apps so in my experience most kids just text because that’s what everyone has.
You could not be more wrong. All you need is an old phone and wifi access. Even if they don't have one lying around the house, kids give them to friends at school or rent/sell them for like $10-20. And your home router can not block an app. There is so many work arounds. And at least in my kid's public school, the wifi is free and it allows snapchat. And if they can't do that, they just create their own account on a friend's phone and then use it and log on thru friends phones multiple times a day. It is very very easy for one person to have 3-4 log ins of friends on snap on their phone.
Listen, I get it. You try your best, but the fact is once teens get to an age where 90% of them are communicating only thru Snap, they don't want to be the one left out. I understand avoiding it in middle school, but it's better to come up with guidelines together, at least by high school. For my 15yr old, I have the app on my phone with her log ins and only I know the password and the account is under my cell and email, so I get notifications of changing passwords or adding anything. She gets 60min a day on app limits also run thru my phone thru family sharing. She has to keep on 24hrs to delete, not delete immediately. I can technically log in any time and check and she won't know when I do. At this point, I barely check. She and her friends like changing their bit moji and tracking where they are and send stupid things thru their private stories. A lot of moms are on snap too. It's a way to keep in touch and keep a snap streak going. I can totally see how much fun it is. For the way I have set up, it is much safer than iMessages that can be deleted quickly and can only be checked by accessing their phone directly. Snap keeps a log if I request it and I can check her snap even if she is not home or away on vacation with a friend etc....
You can block burner phones or whatever devices you want on your home router.
So we’re left with snap-determined kid buys an old phone off a school buddy and only uses it on school wifi, where our school does not allow phone use during school hours? Or creates an account they check on other kids’ phones when they are alone? I’d prefer that risk over allowing it everyday.
Anonymous
07/29/2025 15:59
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
I have a 587 snap streak with my 16yr old and a 1442 with my college grad. They are both honor roll students and my oldest is an engineer making 6 figures. We all love snap.
You all make the simple things so ridiculous here on DCUM. If the teens want it, they will find a way to get it.
You all make the simple things so ridiculous here on DCUM. If the teens want it, they will find a way to get it.
Anonymous
07/29/2025 07:33
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read any good reasons to allow Snapchat for minors in this thread. All just bad outcomes and parents afraid of parenting.
You've had many on here tell you it's fine. My kids (15 and 17) have it and they've never had an issue. Yes, I have all their passwords and they know that I can go through their snapchats or anything on their phone anytime if needed. Bottomline, parent and teach your kids so they know how to use social media safely and appropriately. You can prevent it all you want but know that at some point, they're going to have it whether you like it or not. Also, I still don't understand why people are zeroing in on Snapchat when you can do the same things some of you are fearful of in other platforms- Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc.
Anonymous
07/29/2025 03:41
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read any good reasons to allow Snapchat for minors in this thread. All just bad outcomes and parents afraid of parenting.
Sums it up.
But kids will use it regardless, as parents cannot control their online behavior. Kids always find out how to get around any restrictions.
Best to just make it something undesirable. Like "video games are for geeks and nerds" and they will never want to play video games.
Not true. You can easily block Snapchat on your kids phone and/or on your home router. Sure they could get a burner phone but most kids don’t have the ability or motivation to do that for Snapchat, it’s not that big of a deal.
Kids all have varying access to apps so in my experience most kids just text because that’s what everyone has.
You could not be more wrong. All you need is an old phone and wifi access. Even if they don't have one lying around the house, kids give them to friends at school or rent/sell them for like $10-20. And your home router can not block an app. There is so many work arounds. And at least in my kid's public school, the wifi is free and it allows snapchat. And if they can't do that, they just create their own account on a friend's phone and then use it and log on thru friends phones multiple times a day. It is very very easy for one person to have 3-4 log ins of friends on snap on their phone.
Listen, I get it. You try your best, but the fact is once teens get to an age where 90% of them are communicating only thru Snap, they don't want to be the one left out. I understand avoiding it in middle school, but it's better to come up with guidelines together, at least by high school. For my 15yr old, I have the app on my phone with her log ins and only I know the password and the account is under my cell and email, so I get notifications of changing passwords or adding anything. She gets 60min a day on app limits also run thru my phone thru family sharing. She has to keep on 24hrs to delete, not delete immediately. I can technically log in any time and check and she won't know when I do. At this point, I barely check. She and her friends like changing their bit moji and tracking where they are and send stupid things thru their private stories. A lot of moms are on snap too. It's a way to keep in touch and keep a snap streak going. I can totally see how much fun it is. For the way I have set up, it is much safer than iMessages that can be deleted quickly and can only be checked by accessing their phone directly. Snap keeps a log if I request it and I can check her snap even if she is not home or away on vacation with a friend etc....
Anonymous
07/28/2025 18:11
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read any good reasons to allow Snapchat for minors in this thread. All just bad outcomes and parents afraid of parenting.
Sums it up.
But kids will use it regardless, as parents cannot control their online behavior. Kids always find out how to get around any restrictions.
Best to just make it something undesirable. Like "video games are for geeks and nerds" and they will never want to play video games.
Not true. You can easily block Snapchat on your kids phone and/or on your home router. Sure they could get a burner phone but most kids don’t have the ability or motivation to do that for Snapchat, it’s not that big of a deal.
Kids all have varying access to apps so in my experience most kids just text because that’s what everyone has.
Anonymous
07/28/2025 17:43
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read any good reasons to allow Snapchat for minors in this thread. All just bad outcomes and parents afraid of parenting.
Sums it up.
But kids will use it regardless, as parents cannot control their online behavior. Kids always find out how to get around any restrictions.
Best to just make it something undesirable. Like "video games are for geeks and nerds" and they will never want to play video games.
Anonymous
07/28/2025 17:33
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As an 8th grade teacher and a mom of teens, they all have it. If you don’t allow it, they sneak it. On friends phones, burner phones, or old devices on your home on WiFi. Even on web browsers.
I allow it but have their log ins and the app on my phone. They know I can log on and check anytime. Messages have to be set to 24hr and not delete immediately. I also have app limits for only for 1 hour a day. I add extra during sleepovers or traveling on long car rides.
You want to be the cool teacher and mom. No all kids do not have Snapchat.
Yes they do because it’s the only way teens text now. No one uses texts. It’s like our generation with email. Foreign
My kid and all his friends text. They don’t all have access to the same apps, but they all have phones.
Anonymous
07/28/2025 16:59
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As an 8th grade teacher and a mom of teens, they all have it. If you don’t allow it, they sneak it. On friends phones, burner phones, or old devices on your home on WiFi. Even on web browsers.
I allow it but have their log ins and the app on my phone. They know I can log on and check anytime. Messages have to be set to 24hr and not delete immediately. I also have app limits for only for 1 hour a day. I add extra during sleepovers or traveling on long car rides.
You want to be the cool teacher and mom. No all kids do not have Snapchat.
Yes they do because it’s the only way teens text now. No one uses texts. It’s like our generation with email. Foreign
Nah
Anonymous
07/28/2025 16:38
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
I haven’t read any good reasons to allow Snapchat for minors in this thread. All just bad outcomes and parents afraid of parenting.
Anonymous
07/28/2025 16:36
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As an 8th grade teacher and a mom of teens, they all have it. If you don’t allow it, they sneak it. On friends phones, burner phones, or old devices on your home on WiFi. Even on web browsers.
I allow it but have their log ins and the app on my phone. They know I can log on and check anytime. Messages have to be set to 24hr and not delete immediately. I also have app limits for only for 1 hour a day. I add extra during sleepovers or traveling on long car rides.
You want to be the cool teacher and mom. No all kids do not have Snapchat.
Yes they do because it’s the only way teens text now. No one uses texts. It’s like our generation with email. Foreign
Anonymous
07/28/2025 14:24
Subject: Parents of older teens, what age for Snapchat?
Snapchat is the way they communicate. We don’t allow tik tok because parents jobs don’t allow it.