The following is excerpted from an online article posted by Parents
If you’re a parent of a teenager who loves to read, there’s a good chance they have probably come across fanfiction. They can’t get it at the library or the bookstore, but these sometimes book-length pieces of fiction are an increasingly popular way for young people to consume literature.
But what exactly is fanfiction? And is it safe and appropriate for your kid to read? Simply put, fanfiction is reimagining of books, movies, and television shows written by and for fans that is posted and read online.
Because fanfiction is consumed primarily online—the most popular sites include Archive of Our Own (AO3), Wattpad, Tumblr, and FanFiction.net—it might be a little bit more difficult for parents to actually track what their kids are reading because they won’t be bringing home a physical book—and not all fanfiction is kid-friendly.
But that doesn’t mean parents need to ban fan fiction from their household. When it comes to asking whether or not your kids should be ready this material, there is some room for nuance.
“It depends on what type of fanfiction (slash fiction for instance is usually sexual in nature) and your kid’s maturity level,” says Gayle MacBride, PhD, a licensed psychologist with Veritas Psychology Partners.
She notes that many of these sites offer filters for specific stories, so as a parent, you can filter out fanfiction that includes darker or more mature themes—as long as your child is open about what types of material they are reading, which isn’t always going to be the case.
“When parents have a track record of approaching situations with genuine curiosity and a desire to understand our children’s needs, interests and desires, children trust that they can be open with their parents safely, which allows for more honesty and transparency,” she explains.
“Parents should maintain that stance of curiosity to understand what it is about the fanfiction that interests their child,” she adds, “allowing them to discuss ways to engage with fanfiction safely.”