8 year olds shouldn't have facebook

I'm sorry but no.

See, I work with kids around 7-8 years old at church so I know a lot of little kids. Now, some of them play around on their parents facebook page (like sit there with their parents, or play the games or whatever) and I think that's fine as long as their parents are monitoring what they're doing (and what they're friends are doing, if there's going to be something inappropriate the should hide it, or not let their kid on).

However, one girl I know has now got a facebook page of her own. I know her parents, and her sister. They all have facebook and her older sister is old enough to have facebook. And while I don't want to say that this persons style of parenting in wrong, I just don't understand why they would let their 8 year old child have facebook (and they know she has it, they're 'friends')

Anyway, she's added me. I haven't accepted the friend request because I just don't feel right about you know? I don't post anything a kid that age couldn't see but it just feels wrong.

(Not to mention, if you've ever sat through a child protection training course, you'd know that feeling of 'Oh my god, I'm not even going to look at a kid again. That way there is no chance of me getting in trouble'. )

See, I'm responsible for this girl on Sunday mornings for a few hours. And the thing is, adding her of facebook can potentially open up a lot of questions. And I know that... 'it's just facebook'... but it's really not just facebook.

But I know she'll probably ask me about it next time I see her, or bring up the subject somehow. I might go for the 'I haven't been on' approach, but I don't know. I suppose if she does I'll bring it up with her parents, I don't want to add her without their permission.

I just don't think it's right. I mean, the internet is a dangerous place, and I'm sure her parents are monitoring what she's doing on there... but I still don't think they should be letting her have facebook.

... yeah, this was kind of me just thinking it through because I really don't know what to do. On one hand I know this girl really looks up to me and I know she'd probably be disappointed if I didn't add her. On the other hand... I don't think it would make me look very good if I did.