Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: Snapchat?

  1. #1
    g-mama is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Posts
    5,039

    Default Snapchat?

    Do your kids have it? What are your experiences with it?

    My son who will be 15 in two weeks and a freshman in HS is begging us to let him have this app. We have said no for two years. I went to an Internet Safety session and learned that the app was originally created by two college students for the purpose of sending nude pics that will vanish after a few seconds. The meeting was held by an FBI agent who specializes in child predators.

    My son wanted it but wasn't that pressed about it for awhile, but now it's gotten to the point that he says it's hampering him socially not to have it as it has largely replaced texting amongst teenagers. Allllll of his friends have it and he feels totally left out by not being able to communicate with them that way.

    DS is a very good kid. I trust him and feel like we've done a good job in raising him to have strong morals and make good choices. But, it's one app that we, as parents, cannot monitor, and even if he's a good boy, it's the other kids out there. Some of the girls his age are very aggressive and he gets a lot of female attention.

    Anyone have any experiences to share with me to help me decide?
    Kristen
    mama to 3 wild and crazy boys - ages 16, 13 and 11

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    DC Suburbs
    Posts
    21,474

    Default

    I don't have kids that age, but snapchat has evolved to be much more than a disappearing chat app. Legitimate companies and news organizations use it now. I don't know about monitoring it. I have snapchat though, and I am most definitely not sexting anyone! Maybe download it yourself, and play around, and see if there are ways to monitor.
    Last edited by TwinFoxes; 11-08-2015 at 07:12 PM.
    Mommy to my wonderful, HEALTHY twin girls
    6/08 - Preemies no more!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    DC Suburbs
    Posts
    21,474

    Default

    Oh, one thing you can do is monitor his contacts and settings, and make sure he can only get snaps from contacts.
    Mommy to my wonderful, HEALTHY twin girls
    6/08 - Preemies no more!

  4. #4
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Northern VA, USA.
    Posts
    31,123

    Default

    My DD doesn't have it, but I agree it isn't what it used to be. Although the 20 somethings at work use it for hook-ups....

    Mainly my DD uses Instagram and Tumblr. No idea if that is really better, but it feels better to me LOL!
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  5. #5
    g-mama is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Posts
    5,039

    Default

    So I came across this article. I read the article and decided it would be okay. Then I read the comments and am again conflicted.

    http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2...ould-let-them/
    Kristen
    mama to 3 wild and crazy boys - ages 16, 13 and 11

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    845

    Default

    I'm a high school teacher so my perspective is probably pretty different, but I am NOT a fan of snapchat. It is quite possibly the worst app for high school students, many are OBSESSED with it. I have had students use it to cheat on tests and found that the number of kids who had access to the information was virtually impossible to figure out because of the short-lived nature of the communication.

    That being said, I know it is probably the number one communication tool between students at my school. I don't know much about it beyond what I overhear, but I am not a fan.

  7. #7
    Globetrotter is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    .
    Posts
    10,017

    Default

    Wow, I never considered the cheating angle

    I don't get it, but i figured I'm too old for all that. Then my friend's dd received a msg from an acquaintance saying she didn't want to live anymore. This kid had a history of depression and the counselor had been alerted before. By the time she called me for advice, the msg was gone, so no proof. She reported it to the principal and the counselor, who followed up on it, but just imagine.. I think it's as dangerous as other apps, in terms of potential misuse.

  8. #8
    cmo is offline Gold level (500+ posts)
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    GA.
    Posts
    984

    Default

    At a principal's coffee (basically an open Q&A for parents & principal and counselors) at our middle school earlier this year, the counselors BEGGED the parents to monitor their kids' social media accounts more closely. They said that we *would not believe* how much of their time was taken up with issues related to it, mentioning Snapchat, Kik, and Instagram specifically. My middle schoolers (6th and 7th grade) have Instagram only, I've said no to Snapchat, Kik has not come up (yet). It is a slippery slope indeed...

  9. #9
    petesgirl is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    3,723

    Default

    I don't have kids that age either and don't know much about snapchat. But the concept that they can do something and have it disappear in about 20 seconds is not one I want to reinforce with my kids. I want them to be very aware that their actions (especially where social media and new technology are concerned) are lasting and will have consequences.
    Last edited by petesgirl; 11-09-2015 at 12:57 AM.
    Mama to :
    DS1 (July 2011)
    DD (Feb 2014-June 2015)
    DS2 (Apr 2017)

    "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it."
    --Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird)

  10. #10
    Twoboos is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    .
    Posts
    9,783

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by petesgirl View Post
    I don't have kids that age either and don't know much about snap chat. But the concept that they can do something and have it disappear in about 20 seconds is not one I want to reinforce with my kids. I want then to be very aware that their actions (especially where social media and new technology are concerned) are lasting and will have consequences.
    I think kids need to know that all it takes is a screenshot and whatever is there lives on forever, as does everything on the internet!

    DD1 (6th) asked for SnapChat and Instagram (haven't heard Kik come up yet). I said no to both, b/c they both have a 13yo age requirement. So I'm good for a year, although many (most?) of her friends have them already.

    I really need to be better about taking her phone and checking what's on there. Although she needs DH or me to put in a passcode to download an app, so at least she doesn't have them on the sly.
    "Every mother needs a wife." - Amy Poehler, Yes Please

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •