Ok, I may not be a typical parent. I don’t know what you consider typical, but I am strict concerning social media and Gracie. Yesterday, a social predator contacted her.
First, she disobeyed me by accepting a fried request without my permission. She thought it was OK because he said he was a cousin of one of her friends at Church. He was not. Honestly, she’s not allowed to friend anyone without my permission. That’s a rule.
I just happened to be checking her facebook account as she was personal messaging this predator. I was reading the messages as they were typing because I did not know this person. He told her he was at Church the night before. He was not.
He started asking her if she was in a relationship. She said yes. She does have a little boyfriend that she sees only at Church. He asked if they were serious, she said yes. I guess Church is serious. He then said, ARE YOU A VIRGIN? I said, bring me that phone. Then, I took over typing. I told him he has been talking to a 47 year old woman and what I would do to him (and it was NOT nice at all) and told him that I would report him to facebook and block him.
I then went to my account and messaged him and told him that he had messaged the wrong little girl. That I was married to a ex-marine, a black belt and man who did not mind going to jail if his daughter was hurt.
This man’s facebook has been deleted since this happened. Please keep an eye on your kids social media accounts. Gracie has begged for a snapchat, but I won’t let her have one. Believe, in our crazy life, we just stay in our tiny little bubble!
Michelle@SuchaSimpleLife says
06/15/2016 at 6:30 PMI’m so sorry to hear that this happened, but really glad to see that you were so on top of things. This post is just an affirmation to me that I’m doing the right thing by not allowing my son on social media. People think I’m so strict and he’s missing out on so much. Not at all. I don’t think he’s missing a darn thing.
Sonya says
06/16/2016 at 8:03 AMYou’re right Michelle, he’s most likely not missing a thing. At times I regret letting Gracie get a facebook account but I do know that I wanted to let her branch out a little and that I could monitor it as she goes. You are so right though, people should not judge “us” as “MOMS” because we make the best decisions for our OWN children. They can make theirs.
Brenda says
06/14/2016 at 4:03 PMOh wow! Good thing you were paying attention and stopped him in his tracks. I love your mama bear response! Luckily, my 17 year old doesn’t want a FB account yet. My 20 year old son has one, but he’s an adult, so it’s o.k. Plus, I have access to his account. My 9 year old son doesn’t have social media, but he does play online games. My older son made sure all the safe chat things were selected when he signed up, so he can only communicate with other kids and only certain pre-selected messages can be communicated.
Sonya says
06/15/2016 at 5:58 AMBrenda,
The only way she could have facebook (and her phone- which she needs) was that I was to be able to have complete access to the accounts at all time. I check her facebook at random times on my computer. I didn’t even know she was on facebook at that time, but I saw she was PM’ing someone I didn’t recognize.
I’m also allowed to take take her phone and check her texts and anything I want on her phone at any given minute. I pay for it. It may sound like I’m being nosy, but I’m being protective. I want my daughter to LIVE.
Sally Gearhart says
06/14/2016 at 3:42 PMThat’s terrible but it happens way too often! Good for you, you done what needed to be done. You have inspired me to do more and I hope this inspires more parents to do more! Thank you for sharing!!
Sonya says
06/15/2016 at 6:00 AMOh Sally, I’m glad it did help you. I really don’t want to be tagged as nosy. I just don’t want my daughter hurt in any manner at all and I want her ALIVE.
KATE SARSFIELD says
06/14/2016 at 3:10 PMOh, Sonya, it’s wonderful that you’re vigilant about social media. You may have just saved Gracie from heaven only knows what fate. So many parents aren’t though and as a teacher of people with intellectual disabilities I find that so frightening.
Sonya says
06/15/2016 at 6:02 AMThanks Kate, I want to give Gracie as much space and growing room as she needs while growing up but when it comes to social media, that’s a different game. She could end up hurt in so many different ways. I do not want that to happen at all.