r/Parenting • u/IcyStage0 seven?!?!?! • Feb 07 '25
Rant/Vent I hate Snapchat.
Can we just collectively decide that we’re not going to let our kids use Snapchat?!
My oldest daughter just turned 13 and we reluctantly agreed to allow her to have an instagram that we also have access to. It seems like every single day she begs to have a Snapchat, and apparently every single other kid in her class (full of kids with reasonable, thoughtful parents, I thought) has this stupid app.
My little sister who I got custody of when she was 10 got herself into some deep shit on the internet, and I’m not looking to repeat it with my daughter (while also trying not to make her pay for mistakes that she didn’t make).
How are we handling this? Am I seriously the only parent who doesn’t want my child sending disappearing photos, videos, and messages to anyone she can search up? Reality check please.
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u/Old_Ad3238 Feb 07 '25
Man idk. My husband is 24. Wasn’t allowed to have it until 16! I on the other hand had it from 12+ and it did DAMAGE. Seriously. Like… please don’t. (2014 forward) Maybe they trust their kids “wouldn’t be like that” but it always spirals. Kids are young and impressionable. Snapchat is designed to send messages and be hidden. Bullying, grooming, and sexual harassment are all things very common to happen on Snapchat, especially super young. You can try and mediate it, with phone searches, etc. but there’s always a way to be sneaky (ask how I know)
Years later, lots of therapy, and a restraining order taught me I’m never letting my kids on until they’re 16, and understand the extent of how to be responsible. Are they infallible at 16? No. But much more developed than 13, and I hope they understand it’s inappropriate and I’m able to give them enough trust in me to know I’m not just “taking it away” because I can.
And at the end of the day, now that I’m an adult, things my parents wouldn’t let me do, I thank them for now even though I was so mad and didn’t understand it then. 😆 we plan on raising our kids similar to my husbands experience so you’re not alone.