I Want A Scratch Account!

Hi Aadya, I have wanted a Scratch account for YEARS!!!! But, my dad says I am not old enough. But I am TWELVE!!!!! I asked my mom and she said to ask my dad because she isn’t really the kind of a person who knows about those kinds of things. How can I convince my dad that scratch is safe and that I can be allowed an account? (Also, if I get one, can we do F4F?)

-Seeking A Scratch Account

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Hey there, Seeking A Scratch Account!

REALLY?? You are ABOVE the age you need to be to have a Scratch account! I wonder why your dad won’t let you have an account. Ok, so, let’s get onto your problem.

First, there must be a better reason why your dad won’t let you have an account. Maybe he thinks the internet is too dangerous for you. Scratch is like an educational social media for kids, so he might be worried that you’ll get addicted or something. Social media could also mentally be dangerous for kids, so maybe he doesn’t trust you being online like that. You’ve got to prove that you can be responsible for yourself. Promise yourself that you will ALWAYS back out of a situation which could seem threatening. That’s pretty much all you need to stay safe online.

So, if that’s not really the main problem, you should visit the Scratch website with your dad.

When you get there, scroll down to the bottom, and you should see a bunch of things you could do. Click on “For Parents” and let him read it. Let him read the Privacy Policy and FAQs. That will most likely change his mind. As long as you do your part in staying appropriate, Scratch is a fun and safe community. Also, you are DEFINITELY old enough. It says that Scratch is supposed to be for kids 8-16.

He can also manage your account through his email and stuff. He can disable comments/chatting, sharing projects, and also followers. Well, I know the second pretty much beats the purpose, but you only want Scratch to make projects, right? Or are you seriously addicted to getting likes and followers?

If he still says no, then hang in there. One day, you’ll get the account. Maybe he thinks you aren’t responsible or mature enough. He might think you’ll get stuck in no good after using Scratch. If you carefully follow the rules, you’ll be benefitted from Scratch. And, a good experience in coding could help you out throughout your life. Extra curriculums will help you a lot in your future, like getting into a good college or getting a high-paying job.

Oh, and yes, we can certainly do F4F. Just don’t get mad when some of your favorite Scratchers (like one of my favorites) says F4F is evil😅.

I really hope you get a Scratch account! I can’t wait to see your projects! Cheers!

-Aadya

Need advice? You can ask me here!