Every child wants to be on social media. Their friends all have Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and whatever else is popular on the internet at the moment. It’s important for you, as their parent or guardian, to set limits on the access that they have to social media and help them explore the internet responsibly. Here are some things to keep in mind when making a plan to navigate social media with your kids.
The Internet is Not Their Family
A joint study conducted by professors at the University of Wisconsin and Princeton has shown that children do better in every facet of life when they have a consistent family environment. While we no longer subscribe to the “traditional” gender-based rules of parenthood, family support is critical. Families can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The important thing to remember is that your child needs to be a part of a family, however you define it.
The people that your child interacts with on the internet are not their family. Kids can get involved with groups that share similar interests, but those similar interests are not a substitute for the structure and stability that your family can offer them. According to Our Family Wizard, It’s crucial that you take time every day to have your child put away the electronics (put yours away too) and spend some time nurturing the family dynamic. The benefits will last well after they’ve moved out of your home.
The Internet is Not Their Friend
It’s easy to let yourself assume that your child’s attention being consumed by internet friends is normal. After all, some social media sites even use the term “friend” to define these cyber connections. Whether friends, followers, or any other term used by your kid’s choice of social media site, it doesn’t change the fact that not everyone with a profile on a website is who they claim to be. While your child may feel connected to the people they interact with, Aurora Arizona points out that these people can have a toxic influence on your child, especially if they are already struggling. Whether it be real people they know from school or strangers who they share interests with, it’s important to know that the internet is not a substitute for genuine human connection.
The Internet is Not Their Babysitter
Let’s be honest: We all drove our parents insane when we were young. Children are stressful, require attention, and always seem to know when to ask questions at the worst possible moment. That doesn’t mean that the answer is to let your child indulge on the internet for hours on end. According to Net Nanny, studies have shown that excessive internet usage can negatively impact every area of your child’s life.
The internet can be used for some great things, but there are also a lot of dangers. It’s important for your child to remember that people they interact with online can claim to be their friends and even family, but they’re not. Therefore, it’s crucial that you strike a balance between risk and reward when it comes to internet access.
Looking for more parenting tips? Check out the Parenting Confident Kids podcast!