Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
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Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
OH had a chat with him this morning (he hasn't seen DS all week as he's been on late shifts). Apparently they met at school disco, have mutual friends, haven't actually seen each other since the disco a month ago and talk on FB and email. I'm feeling a bit more relaxed about it now. Also, his friends on FB have actually been quite nice about it.
With regards to the FB account, I wasn't in favour of it, however, his cousins are on it and the peer pressure was huge (
) A lot of his friends from primary school are on it as well and these are the kids he tends to see at the weekend as they live much nearer than his GS friends (the main problem with GS, I think). Also, most of his GS classmates are on it and tbh, it has helped with homework when he's been off for rugby tournaments etc. The condition of his acccount was that he has to be my friend - I don't post on his wall but just keep an eye on it (was worried about cyber bullying etc). Mostly, though DS uses it for instant messaging.....
Plum
With regards to the FB account, I wasn't in favour of it, however, his cousins are on it and the peer pressure was huge (
) A lot of his friends from primary school are on it as well and these are the kids he tends to see at the weekend as they live much nearer than his GS friends (the main problem with GS, I think). Also, most of his GS classmates are on it and tbh, it has helped with homework when he's been off for rugby tournaments etc. The condition of his acccount was that he has to be my friend - I don't post on his wall but just keep an eye on it (was worried about cyber bullying etc). Mostly, though DS uses it for instant messaging.....Plum
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
Plum -
Do make sure you also have his password so you can check his private messages if you think you need to. You can also set up the security/privacy so only his friends can message him - I think.
The instant messaging worries me most as I don't think there is any way to check this - except to check who he is friends with ( I believe you can only 'chat' to your 'friends' ?)
I've said before that I don't hold with them being in 'relationships' at this age but that is my personal view & there are as many different perspectives as there are families! Its great that he is happy to talk about it though - keeping communication open is a major success
Do make sure you also have his password so you can check his private messages if you think you need to. You can also set up the security/privacy so only his friends can message him - I think.
The instant messaging worries me most as I don't think there is any way to check this - except to check who he is friends with ( I believe you can only 'chat' to your 'friends' ?)
I've said before that I don't hold with them being in 'relationships' at this age but that is my personal view & there are as many different perspectives as there are families! Its great that he is happy to talk about it though - keeping communication open is a major success
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
IMHO Facebook is completely pernicious.
Girls at DDs school post vile comments about teachers together with pictures of said teachers and the school do nothing about them. Several girls in year 9 also post graphic descriptions of activities the victorians used to say made you go blind (!!)
and another mother told me one had posted a picture of same although this was removed fairly quickly. Nice aren't they?
Even if your child is not actually friends with the worst people in the year they are likely to be "facebook friends" dating from when they all originally got on the site and added everyone they could think of.
The local boys grammar seems to be almost as bad with a nasty core of boys using vile language from a very young age and with a distinctly worrying attitude to women in general.
Girls at DDs school post vile comments about teachers together with pictures of said teachers and the school do nothing about them. Several girls in year 9 also post graphic descriptions of activities the victorians used to say made you go blind (!!)
and another mother told me one had posted a picture of same although this was removed fairly quickly. Nice aren't they?
Even if your child is not actually friends with the worst people in the year they are likely to be "facebook friends" dating from when they all originally got on the site and added everyone they could think of.
The local boys grammar seems to be almost as bad with a nasty core of boys using vile language from a very young age and with a distinctly worrying attitude to women in general.
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TraffordMum
- Posts: 593
- Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:29 pm
- Location: Trafford
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
Facebook can be dreadful, I agree. But I think it has a definite place in modern life and, as parents, our role is to help our children navigate its murkier depths.
Talking to them about why security is important, why competing in the "Most Friends" category is not sensible, why they should think hard about every single thing they post (especially photos) and why they should log out of Facebook after each use is, in my opinion, as key a message for today's online youth as alcohol/drug/sex education is.
It never ceases to amaze me how many allegedly intelligent people leave their Facebook pages totally open for the whole world to see.
Talking to them about why security is important, why competing in the "Most Friends" category is not sensible, why they should think hard about every single thing they post (especially photos) and why they should log out of Facebook after each use is, in my opinion, as key a message for today's online youth as alcohol/drug/sex education is.
It never ceases to amaze me how many allegedly intelligent people leave their Facebook pages totally open for the whole world to see.
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
I agree Traffordmum. Also, it amazes me how many parents don't realise that it is their own children who use it inappropriately in the misguided belief that their child would never behave in such a vulgar manner.
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
Oops, I am guilty of encouraging this thread to be off topic.
The question really is: is year 7 too young to have a girlfriend?
The question really is: is year 7 too young to have a girlfriend?
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
Yes - much too young!! My DH will I think not tolerate any of that until they leave home!!!!!! 
I guess, with 2 DDs he will have to get used to it at some point!! 
I guess, with 2 DDs he will have to get used to it at some point!! -
TraffordMum
- Posts: 593
- Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:29 pm
- Location: Trafford
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
We need a moderator to moderate the moderators! I apologise for leading you astray.Ed's mum wrote:Oops, I am guilty of encouraging this thread to be off topic.
The question really is: is year 7 too young to have a girlfriend?
Re: Yr 7 too young to have a girlfriend???
Plum,
great that you are able to keep the communication lines open, that is a major success.!
I am a it old fashioned, but every family does things differently.
i still do not have sky tv at home, my eldest daughter will be twelve soon. I let her know that the guy who owns sky tv does not even have sky tv in his home!
she is so gullible, do not know for how long
great that you are able to keep the communication lines open, that is a major success.!
I am a it old fashioned, but every family does things differently.
i still do not have sky tv at home, my eldest daughter will be twelve soon. I let her know that the guy who owns sky tv does not even have sky tv in his home!
she is so gullible, do not know for how long
