The trouble with "Forwards"

Do you know what currently dominates my 11 year old's inbox? The "Forward". Yes, forwarded messages took over in less than a month of my kid getting an email address. The kids are crazy about forwarding messages. Most of them are harmless. All of them are totally stupid. However, some of them are downright bad.

Here is a recent one that my daughter got from one of her aquaintances (not a true friend, but someone she knows at school):

Watch top 50 ghetto names on youtube its hilarious!!!!! -- I'M GONNA GET A FLAT STOMACH! SO I CAN GET A BIKINI FOR ARIZONA DURING SPRING BREAK!~LOVE YA, MOLLY

Wow. 11 year old suburban kids innocently throwing around an email about "ghetto names". Sad really.

Here is another one (I highlighted the key parts):

DO NOT stop reading this or>>> something>>> bad>>> will>>> happen.0A>>> One day, Sarah was walking >>home from>>> school>>> when>>> her boyfriend drove by and >>honked at her>>> to>>> get>>> in.. She got in his car and he drove >>her>>> to>>> the>>> lake. Her boyfriend said he was >>going to>>> tell>>> her>>> something very important. Sarah>>> could>>> have>>> sworn>>> he was going to propose.. However, he>>> flicked her off, pushed her in the >>lake>>> and>>> yelled, 'I am>> > breaking up with you, you awful>>> ........!! I>>> hate>>> you and I think that maybe you >>should> &g t;> just end>>> your ............... life! DUMB>>> ............>>> .........!!!' He laughed and drove >>off.>>> It was>>> a>>> very cold day. Sarah climbed out >>of the>>> lake,>>> freezing>>> cold, and feeling the worst she>>> had in her>>> entire>>> life. She got home went in a hot >>bath,>>> and slit>>> her wrists and died in the bathtub.. >>Her>>> parents>>> yelled and screamed at her to get >>out> ;>> until>>> they>>> finally broke the door down. They >>saw no>>> body,>>> but the entire bathroom was >>dripping with>>> her>>> blood.>>> Her mom went insane and killed >>herself>>> three>>> days>>> later, her dad is in prison, accused>>> of>>> murder..>>> Later>>&g t; that week, Sarah's exboyfriend >>was>>> taking>>> a>>> shower>>> when she came from the drain, >>rotting>>> and>>> bloody,>>> with a razor in her hand and>>> said 'Goodbye>>> Jason.'>>> She cut his throat before he could>>> scream..>>> If you do not send this to 13 >>people>>> with the title '1>>> scary>>> way to>>> breakup', you are a heartless>>> ........................and Sarah will come >>for you in>>> the>>> shower>>> from the drain, and will kill you the>>> same>>> way>>> she>>> killed her boyfriend.>>> 24 ppl have broken this chain and >>died>>> You have 13 minutes*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> GO!!!

Can you believe this stuff? If your kids have email, they are getting hoards of this stuff every day. Make sure you are paying attention. There are ways to address this (which I will discuss in a later entry) but the first thing is to BE AWARE!

As far as I am concerned, "Forwards" have no place in our kids email boxes.