Are we too rigid?

I'm not quite sure, but I almost think my parents may have had an easier time raising me than we are raising our own children. I mean, there wasn't any online to worry about. If we weren't home, they knew where we were. You better believe we were home shortly after the street lights came on.

But today... man, today - what's a parent to do?

Our biggest fight with our 11 year old right now is to Facebook or not to Facebook. Yep, that IS the question at hand. It's hard to keep saying no when her friends have Facebook pages. Heck, some of my son's friends have Facebook pages (and they're only 9 or 10 years old)!

Facebook clearly states on their Registration & Account Security page:

#3 - You will not use Facebook if you are under 13
So, why do WE come across as mean parents when we REFUSE to lie about our child's age just so they can chat with their friends???? Are we being too rigid about this rule? Should we just suck it up & let them have accounts?? Wouldn't sucking it up teach our children that lying is acceptable? We've tried to use that reasoning and I think it worked for a week or two. But now, I think they'd rather we lie.

Craig and I are going to stand by our convictions and continue to be the 'mean' parents that we are... constantly reminding them that we love them.

Many blessings,
Allison