When did you actually let your kid have unsupervised internet?

Dec 19·1 min read

Our oldest is turning 13 next month and we're trying to figure out when to actually let him have privacy online. Right now he shares a computer with his sister and we can see what he's doing. He's begging for his own device with actual privacy. I remember getting that freedom at his age and it felt important for my development or whatever but also... the internet is way more dangerous now than 1999. What age did you guys loosen the reins? Any regrets?

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Comments(5)

CCharlie A.New DadDec 20

The shared computer thing is actually working in your favor more than you realize. At 13 a lot of kids aren't even thinking about privacy yet—that need really peaks at 14-15. You have time

TTerrence J.RegularDec 21

everyone's going to tell you different things here but honestly what matters is what YOU'RE comfortable with, not what his friends have. Some 13yos are ready, some aren't

JJake M.RegularDec 22

13 is still pretty young for fully unsupervised. We did a compromise: monitoring software that tracks broadly but he knows it's there, totally transparent. Then at 15 we reassess

PPaul M.RegularDec 22

We let ours have a private account at 13 but with the caveat that we can ask to see it any time. He's never refused. Trust but verify. He's 15 now and that arrangement still works

CChris P.RegularDec 21

The shared computer thing is probably fine honestly. he's got his sister around, you can see what he's doing. Maybe upgrade to him having his own device but you keep the pw and spot-check occasionally?