Snapchat is fun and, like all social media platforms, allows you to communicate with your friends without feeling left out. What if your parents aren’t letting you get an account? Firstly, remember that they’re merely concerned for you and want to make sure you won’t be exposed to the animosity of social media. Next, see here how to convince your parents to get Snapchat.
Step #1: Choose the Right Time to Convince Them
When trying to convince your parents of something, timing is critical. For example, you don’t want to talk to your mom while cooking or when she’s stress-cleaning. Likewise, dads aren’t in their best form when they’re just back from work. Try to choose a time when both your parents are relaxed and chilling out. Make sure their mood isn’t sour, and start by asking them if they have a couple of minutes to talk about something. The last thing you want to do is bring it up in the middle of a conversation as a joke; they won’t take you seriously if you do this.
Step #2: Control Your Emotions
When you want to talk about something so badly, and you’re met with rejection, you’ll likely stir up a couple of negative emotions. It’s okay to feel frustrated or angry and like you’re on the verge of crying. What’s not okay is to show your feelings vividly or to cry and start whining. A lot of parents say no when their kids ask in the wrong way. You want to come off as composed, mature, and responsible. So, crying and begging are the last things you want to do. Try to control your emotions as much as you can.
Step #3: Show Them What You’ve Got
Parents often say no because they’re concerned for your well-being. They may think that being on Snapchat will expose you to unwanted issues, or maybe it’ll make you feel insecure. You may want to reassure them by showing them the social media accounts you already have. Try to show them that you’ve been doing okay on your Facebook and Instagram accounts. Or, if they’re afraid one more application may affect the time you have for studying, you can work on that. Finish your homework on time, and show them that you’re updated on your studies. That way, you’ll remove any doubts they have about the time you have.
Step #4: Try to Relate to Their Fears
The thing with Snapchat is, you send photos that get deleted after a while. So, most parents are afraid that their kids will send or receive inappropriate images, which is totally justified. When trying to convince them to let you get an account, try to show them that you relate to their fears. Tell them that you’ll only use the application to have fun with your friends and that you understand the risks associated with inappropriate uses of the application. Try to clarify to them that you’re afraid of your photos getting screenshot as well and that you’d never put yourself at that risk. If they’re still not sure, try to ask them for their reasons. If they mention another concern, try to walk them through how you’ll deal with it. The key here is letting them know that you understand where they’re coming from and that you think it’s serious too. No parent appreciates being taken lightly.
Step #5: Explain Your Reasons
When trying to convince your parent to let you have a Snapchat account, you should tell them why you want it so bad. Let them know that the rest of your friends have it and that you don’t want to feel left out of the fun. Maybe show them that your friends have a group chat on it, and you don’t want to miss on any arrangements because you don’t have an account. When your parents realize that other parents let their kids have accounts, they may be convinced to let you get yours.
Step #6: Give Them Some Control
It’s never pleasant to have your parents control your social media accounts, but if you give up some control, they may let you get your account. By control, I mean allowing them to see your friends list and make modifications to it. When you offer that, they’ll likely understand that you have nothing to hide, and they won’t even do it. Some parents will ask that you only have your close friends on Snapchat, or maybe that you don’t add any strangers. In this case, agree to whatever they say if it means you get to have an account. Your parents also may ask that you make your account private. Or, they may not know that the option is available, so let them know that you can close your account so that it’s only visible to your friends. This will put their minds at rest that you’ll only communicate with friends they already know.
Step #7: Let Them Know That You’ll Watch Your Content
Your parents likely want to make sure that you’re watching the content you receive from social media platforms. So, for example, they want to make sure you’re not watching all stories from MTV and similar platforms because they may contain adult content. In this case, let them know that you’re watching the content and that you won’t view anything that comes in your way. Or, promise them that you won’t look at any inappropriate content you may find.
The Takeaway
When trying to convince your parents of something, the key is to let them know you relate to their feelings and that you’re mature enough to have a discussion with them. No parent wants to see their kid crying or begging for something, especially when it’s a social media account.
