"Dr. Hilary, My daughter is 10 going on 16. She loves playing on the computer. We have done everything right; we have software to protect her from viewing any inappropriate sites. However, she is so bored with Webkinz.com and similar sites like it. Do you have any recommendations? A friend of ours mentioned that she was thinking that it might not be the worst thing to have her 11 year old daughter join Myspace! Is that next? Thanks for your help."
Myspace at 11 years old! I sure hope not. Just because our children are 11 years old physically, does not mean they are 11 years old emotionally, socially or spiritually. We really need to make sure we are protecting our kids' childhood by giving them time to be just that, children. Allowing them to be exposed to things ahead of them being ready to understand or comprehend its meaning just adds to the anxiety, confusion and helplessness that children may feel while growing up.
Social networking for children can be divided into three categories. First, like the mother in the letter above mentioned, her daughter was participating in the early social networking/type sites that mostly involve paying some fee to play games with limited or no chatting amongst participants.
www.Webkinz.com, Disney's www.Clubpenguin.com, www.Whyville.com, are examples of sites that are linked to the purchase of a toy and have a virtual world with games that provide virtual money.
Disney XD is another type of limited social networking site however, they have added a broader chatting component for its' members. There is a "chatting open" or a "speed chat" which allows for a public or private option. Parent have control over whether the child participates in this feature. They have also added a feature that will allow members to create a page like Myspace, with parental control.
Most people skip to the third category, which is the popular Myspace and Facebook sites. Myspace has a minimum age requirement of 14 for it's members and Facebook , requires it's members to be 13 years of age. Parents do not have control over the member's profile, but the parent can create the profile with the teenager so that the profile can contain all of the security options the parent agrees with.
Before your child is ready for Myspace and Facebook however, there are some wonderful sites for the child and tween. Please check out the following sites as you may find one or more that possibly fits your child perfectly :
1. www.poptropica.com
I like this site as your child creates a character that moves from island to island all over the world and receives medals as they travel and accomplish things.
2. www.habbo.co.uk
This is the biggest hotel on earth, and after your child creates a room they meet other friends from all over the world and they play games from all over the world. There are some strict rules to participate in this virtual world, they do not allow cyberbulling.
3. www.moshimonstors.com
Adopt a monster, play games with it, create a blog about it, puzzles, all sorts of fun activities on this site.
4. www.stardoll.com
Adopt a doll, try clothes on, hairstyles, if you liked barbies than you will not believe this site!
5. www.neopets.com
Adopt a pet, enter your pet into contests, win money to buy food and clothes for your pet....maybe a good site if you child is bugging you for a puppy.
6. www.facechipz.com
A new site for games and some basic social networking.
7. www.kidzrocket.com
Basic social networking, games, created by educational team.
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