Additional Coverage:
- My 12-year-old accidentally committed credit card fraud. I realized she wasn’t ready to have a phone. (businessinsider.com)
When my 12-year-old daughter used a stranger’s credit card to buy something online, I was left questioning my parenting. I’d always given my kids a lot of independence, trusting them to make sound decisions.
After all, my daughter skipped first grade and has always been bright. So, how did she end up committing a crime without even realizing it?
It happened during the height of the pandemic. Like many families, we were stuck at home, and screen time rules were…relaxed.
My daughter stumbled upon a TikTok trend where a creator shared random credit card numbers, claiming they were his and encouraging followers to use them. To a 12-year-old, it sounded like a generous offer.
She ordered something for herself, just to see if it would work. To my surprise, and horror, it did.
A few days later, a package arrived addressed to her. When I questioned her, she casually confessed, as if it were no big deal.
She thought it was a harmless online game. I, however, was floored.
How could my smart, logical daughter fall for such an obvious scam? It was a stark reminder that intelligence and wisdom aren’t the same, and kids, even bright ones, make mistakes.
This incident forced me to confront my own role in what happened. My husband and I had debated giving her a cell phone.
I was against it, worried about social media’s influence, but he wanted her to be able to contact us easily. He won that argument, and I didn’t fight hard enough.
This proved my point.
I took her phone away – not as punishment, but as a necessary break. We had a serious discussion about her actions, explaining the gravity of credit card fraud and how it impacts real people.
The realization hit her hard. She hadn’t understood the consequences of her actions.
This experience changed my parenting approach. I still value independence, but I now understand the importance of active guidance, especially in the online world.
I monitor her online activity more closely and we have open conversations about internet trends. It was a tough lesson for both of us, but a necessary one.
It reminded me that even the smartest kids need their parents’ guidance.