Guidelines for Creating Your Child's First Email Address

Now that my son is old enough to have his own iPod, he needs his own email address. Whether you want to raise a web savvy child, or you just do not want a bunch of Justin Bieber songs polluting your i-tunes, these guidelines for creating your child's first email address will help you during the process.

When should children get their first email address?

How old your child is when they get their first email account is purely a parenting decision. Keep in mind that if you create an email address and send nasty emails from an infant, you may end up being ridiculed to your face or find those emails highlighted on a bad parenting website. Waiting until your child has basic reading and writing skills is probably a good idea.

Should I use my child's full name as their first email address?

No. Stay away from names that reveal too much information. It is crucial to teach your child from the very beginning that privacy on the Internet is extremely important. Pick a name that relatives will remember but strangers would not guess. Teach your child that their email address is something that should be guarded and only given to approved people.

Keeping your child's email address guarded will not only protect them from spam and scams, it also lays the foundation for security awareness.

Likewise try to avoid names that will embarrass your child later in life. IEatBoogers@yourdomain.com might be super cute right now, but not so much when they get older.

Make checking email a family event.

While your child is young you should check emails together. Use this opportunity to teach your children web safety and etiquette. Use Uncle Andy's all caps email as a teaching tool to explain what yelling looks like.

Stress to your children that they should not talk to strangers on the Internet, just like in real life. Only give out your child's email address to people you know and trust. It is also important to read the fine print when signing up for anything online. This is a very good way to teach your kids about contracts as well as privacy.

Discuss what is okay to write in an email and what should be spoken in person or over the phone. Anything that is time sensitive or emotionally charged should be analyzed to see if there is a better method of communication. Now is also a great time to start the habit of proof reading. Encourage your child to use proper English and check their writing before hitting the send button.

Sources:
Personal and Professional Experience