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Our best tips on how to get your parents to let you have Snap
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Snapchat is a fun form of social media that allows you to send your friends photos that disappear after a few seconds. Although the app can be fun, sometimes parents feel like it is dangerous or that you are too young to use it. You can try to convince your parents to let you have Snapchat by asking them if you can download the app politely and coming up with compromises so that they feel more comfortable about you having it. In this article we go over how you can convince your parents to let you have Snapchat, including some expert tips from family and marriage therapist Moshe Ratson.
Getting Your Parents to Let You Have Snapchat
Before you ask your parents about Snapchat, help out around the house and stay behaved and polite. Ask them when they're not busy, like over dinner or in the car. Explain how you'll use the app safely. If they say no, ask why. You can use their response to figure out how to convince them to let you get the app.
Steps
Section 2 of 2:
Suggesting Compromises
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Discuss creating time limits. If your parents don't want you to have Snapchat because they are worried about you being on it too much, consider a compromise that includes time limits. Agree to be outside a certain amount of time a day, without your phone. Promise to never use it during class time or after you go to bed.
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Suggest that they control your friends list. Letting your parents control your Snapchat friends list might make them feel more comfortable about you having the app. This way they will know you are only talking to people they know and trust. Their rules might be that you can only be friends with kids of the same gender as you on your Snapchat or maybe they only want friends on your Snapchat that they have met. Agree to have “friends list checks” to make sure you are following the rules. [3] X Research source
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3Explain that random people can't message you on Snapchat. Snapchat only allows you to send and receive messages to your friends in the app as well as contacts on your phone. By default, the "Friends" only option is selected. Assure them that you'll only message people you know on the app, and random people can't send you messages out-of-the-blue.
- Explain to them that they can block people on Snapchat that they are uncomfortable with. [4] X Research source
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Agree to not look at the media Snapchat stories. The reason your parents might not want you to have Snapchat is because of the stories from media outlets such as MTV and Buzzfeed. Your parents might be worried about inappropriate content showing up on these stories. Promise to not watch these stories if you get Snapchat.
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Convince them that you won't feel insecure as a result of the filters. Sometimes, filters can cause you to feel insecure and wish that you could look perfect. Tell your parents that you are capable of using them, with the understanding that they're not real.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat's your advice for asking permission if your parents are always saying no?Moshe Ratson is the Executive Director of spiral2grow Marriage & Family Therapy, a coaching and therapy clinic in New York City. Moshe is an International Coach Federation accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC). He received his MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iona College. Moshe is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF).Try to understand why they said no. If you ask to be allowed to get back at midnight and they say 10 PM, instead of getting angry, try to understand why that is. You’ll get an honest answer. If you can understand where they're coming from, you can address that point, and maybe promise them that you understand them. In due time, they will start to trust you more.
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QuestionWhat if they don't understand why you want Snapchat?Community AnswerIf your parents still are not understanding why you want Snapchat, understand it is because of generational differences. Explain to your parents how Snapchat is how people keep in contact now and without it you feel left out.
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QuestionMy mom thinks that there is no privacy on Snapchat. What should I do?Community AnswerExplain to her that there are privacy setting to make sure random people can't add you or send you messages. Talk to her about your friends list and how she can help control who can and cannot message you lol.
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Tips
- Remember that your parents love you and are just trying to protect you.Thanks
- If your parents say no, respect their decision. Don't keep badgering them about it.Thanks
- Ask politely, but do not nag too much. They will most likely become annoyed. Showing maturity means you will get treated like a mature person.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Understand where your parents are coming from if they are hesitant or don't want you to have Snapchat. They don't want you to get cyberbullied or send inappropriate pics you will definitely regret later. There are risks to every social media platform. A tip for when you get it: you can easily get addicted to Snapchat, so remember streaks aren't everything.
- Make sure not to push. The world today is not very safe, so don't go and get it behind their backs because your parents are probably just trying to protect you. If you get it behind their backs you can get yourself in an unsafe situation, so if they say no understand and move on.
- Do NOT try and download it without their permission. They may not want you to have the app due to the fact that it is too public or simply because they feel you are growing up too fast, especially if you are under 13.
- Have a good reason! Not something like, "I want it!" I told my parents that one of my friends moved and she has Snapchat and I don't have her number, so try to use a reason like that.
- Suggest a time limit with the app. After a few months of showing that you're safe and everything is okay, you can ask if you can have more Snapchat time.
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about convincing your parents, check out our in-depth interview with Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCC .
References
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/talk-to-parents.html
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2013/05/01/what-is-snapchat-and-why-do-kids-love-it-and-parents-fear-it/#de2dbc625512
- ↑ https://parents.snapchat.com/parental-controls
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2013/05/01/what-is-snapchat-and-why-do-kids-love-it-and-parents-fear-it/#de2dbc625512
About This Article
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Reader Success Stories
- "If you have Snapchat taken off you before then, reason with them on how you can change your behavior and let them monitor your Snapchat. I'd recommend not saving any personal messages and try to be responsible." ..." more
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"If you have Snapchat taken off you before then, reason with them on how you can change your behavior and let them monitor your Snapchat. I'd recommend not saving any personal messages and try to be responsible."
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"I really hope this works, my parents made me get rid of Snapchat after I was talking to a boy. I wasn't even sending him pictures of "anything." He just cussed to much, which didn't bother me LOL."
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"I have been asking for nearly a year. My parents are very restrictive, and treat me like a child. I just wish that they could understand my reasoning. "
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"This article helped me because I tried following each step and they're still thinking about getting me Snapchat, so I hope that's good?"
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"This helped a lot!!! i started with "can i talk to you for a minute" and it worked!!! I get to get Snapchat. Thank you so much!!!"
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