From Barbershop Tears to Digital Fears: A Mom’s Guide to Protecting Her Teen Online

Whew, parenting is hard but looking at my soon to be 16 year old middle child sit in the barber chair to get his matted mop cut down to a fresh low cut…a start over so to speak, I couldn’t help but feel all the emotions. Now, don’t get me wrong, he is not happy at all about me sitting in this barbershop making sure his barber cuts his hair down to a length that showcases that handsome face of his in its fullness. He is furious and giving the barber a hard time and giving me a nasty side eye simultaneously. I flash him an adoring smile and then it breaks through. His brows burrow but the smile appears in response to me. My heart and eyes are full immediately. I’m such a perimenopausal cry baby.

I turned in my strict mom card several years ago. Don’t get me wrong it reappears from time to time because my oldest child is a rebel that insists on testing every single limit. My middle boy is my sweetheart, smarty pants, introverted prince that I still have to protect.

Recently, we encountered some challenges with some sick people online. Initially he saw my concerns as overreactions, but after having a reality check with him, I think he realized that I’m only trying to shield him from the evils of this world for as long as I can. He gets it, or at least that’s what he says, and I trust that he does. Allowing him more freedom comes with the responsibility of being safe.

Parenting in today’s world isn’t just about curfews, chores, and report cards anymore it’s about protecting our kids from an entirely different kind of danger: the digital one. Between social media, online gaming, and “harmless” chat apps, predators have more access to our children than ever before. As a mom who’s learning to loosen her grip while still keeping her son safe, I want to share some of the apps I keep off limits in my household and why every parent should take a closer look at what’s happening on their child’s phone:

Discord
While Discord started as a gaming chat platform, it’s become much more than that and not always in a good way. It allows anyone to join or create “servers” where people can talk, video chat, or share content, often without any real identity verification. Predators use these spaces to groom kids by pretending to be their age or showing shared interests. I’ve learned that it’s too easy for conversations to move from harmless game talk to inappropriate or dangerous ones.

Omegle (and apps like it)
Omegle may sound old school, but it keeps reappearing in different forms. It’s one of those “talk to strangers” platforms that randomly connects users by video or chat. That alone should be a red flag. There’s no real way to know who’s on the other side, and many predators use these spaces to target teens by pretending to be friendly or understanding. Some even record or screenshot conversations and images. It’s simply not worth the risk.

Snapchat
I know this one is hard to police because it’s so popular with teens, but it’s also one of the most concerning. The disappearing messages give kids a false sense of privacy, but nothing truly disappears online. The “Snap Map” feature also lets others see their location unless they turn it off and not everyone they’re “friends” with is really a friend. I’ve read too many stories of kids being contacted by fake accounts, often leading to extortion or inappropriate exchanges.

Whisper / Yubo / Kik (runner-up list)
Apps that allow anonymity or location based chatting are breeding grounds for predators. Anything that promotes “meet new people nearby” or hides true identity should make a parent pause.

As parents, it’s not about being the fun police it’s about being proactive. I’ve learned that keeping open conversations about online safety works better than just saying “no.” When kids understand why something isn’t safe, they’re more likely to make smarter choices even when we’re not around to monitor.

We can’t protect them from everything, but we can give them awareness and tools to protect themselves. So, I’ll keep having those uncomfortable talks, keep checking in, and keep doing what mothers do best loving and protecting them, even when they roll their eyes at us for it.

Our kids deserve to explore the world safely, even the digital one. Take a few minutes today to check your teen’s apps, have that uncomfortable but necessary talk, and share this post with another parent who needs the reminder. And if you’ve had your own wake up call as a parent, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. We’re all learning as we go.