Just discovered my 13yo has a secret Instagram account

May 61 min read

Found out through my wife that our 13yo set up an Instagram account that we didn't know about. He's been posting pictures and chatting with kids from school. I'm kind of upset but trying to stay calm about it. We've always been pretty open and we did say he could have social media with parental controls, so technically he could've asked. Now we're wondering if we should delete it, add ourselves as followers, or what. This feels like a trust issue but also a safety issue. How do you guys handle secrets like this?

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Comments(3)

MMitch R.RegularMay 6

That's a tough conversation but you caught it, which is what matters. At 13 they're going to push for privacy, but a secret account is definitely something you need to address head on.

SSteveNew DadMay 6

Yeah, that's the tough age where they're testing boundaries hard. You're right to be concerned about who he's talking to. Time for a real conversation about online safety and trust.

CChristopher M.New DadMay 6

Ouch, the secret account discovery is never fun. Have you talked to him about why he felt like he needed to hide it? Could be worth understanding his side before laying down the hammer.