I have been wondering how other parents with children around age 10 handle the entire email situation.
My son begged me for months to have his own email address. I think it was while we were back home for Christmas that I succumbed to this request. He has an account with gmail and I have an account with roadrunner. Every other week or so, he asks to check his email and I agree, as long as I am around to be there in case something popped up, unwanted, unwarranted, similar to the porn my girlfriends’ daughter witnessed.
Last week, he was talking about how his friend and he were emailing back and forth, for a while, like an IM conversation, he said. It struck me that if he’s online long enough to have a conversation with a friend, and I am not over his shoulder, which I was not, then he could be subject to unwanted material popping up or some unwanted sick person emailing him or who knows what? How do sick people get a boy's email address anyway? I talked to him about not opening attachments or emails from people he does not know, of course.
And I'm not usually motivated by fear, but he’s only 10.
The next time he asked to get online and check his email I told him I wanted access to his email and he said no way. I did not have the chance to explain myself, he just said no way and walked away. Weeks have gone by and he has not asked again. I wonder how many of you read your children’s email regularly? I asked a few friends and some said they read the emails, rather glance at them, often. One friend said she does not monitor her children’s verbal communications with friends, or email.
What do you all think about this matter?
I appreciate the support
Thanks a lot. It seems that he's content just not to log on to his email at this point, but when he does get itchy to say hello to friends and family via email sometime, I will stick to my gut and tell him I need his password to help boost the safety of his being online.
Thanks!
E-mail
Anne,
I think for a 10-year old, you should have his password and check it out once in a while. As a journalist like me, you know there are people who are very capable of manipulating children. I say better to be safe.....When my kids were younger, I insisted on having the password to their accounts. Nothing bad ever happened but if it had I could have dealt with it. You need to make Wyatt understand you are only trying to protect him. He is a child. A bonus..it will make inappropriate conversations much less likely.