Teaching Kids How To Be Responsible With Social Media
January 18, 2018
It’s surprising how a vast majority of kids nowadays learn how to use mobile phones and iPads before they even learn how to read or write. Technology has taken the world by storm, and this includes the popular rise of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Having kids exposed to the internet, more so to social media websites puts them at risk of cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content. The best time to start educating kids about responsible internet and social media use is when they’re still young. Talking about this with them is no different to subjects like “the birds and the bees”, which is why it is an ongoing conversation you need to establish and have with them as they go on with their digital journey.
Here are some tips that we hope you find helpful in enforcing responsible internet and social media use to your kids.
Set solid ground rules
If your child breaks a rule at home or in school, they end up having to deal with certain consequences. Make sure to set clear and solid rules around internet and social media use, and breaking any of those shouldn’t have a lesser consequence as to when they break rules in real life.
Educate them about information privacy
Pop up advertisements are truly a pain, yet for someone who doesn’t understand how these really work, seeing how you could win a free iPhone by simply clicking a button and providing some basic information might sound appealing. Truth is, a lot of people get attracted to these kinds of schemes yet kids are particularly susceptible, which is why it’s important that we warn them about the dangers of sharing personal information over the internet.
Adult supervision should be non-negotiable
While you should be teaching your kids respect for privacy, it is important to be well-informed of your child’s online activities. There are many child predators all over the internet, which is why it is utterly important that parents maintain full access to their accounts, simply for the purpose of checking their online contacts versus the friends they hang out with at school or in the neighborhood.
Things live forever on the internet
Kids are too young and naive to understand the permanence of the online world. It is important that you stress to your children what the impact of inappropriate posts, including images and messages, could have should future colleges or employers happen to chance upon then. Make sure to make them understand that a digital footprint stays there forever.
And last but not the least…
Be a good role model to your children
One thing we must remember as adults is that our children constantly observe our actions and behaviors. If you check your phone incessantly or update your Twitter while driving, you’re setting a poor example, one which your child is sure to follow. Be mindful at all times when it comes to what you show your children, and always ask yourself if you’re showing them what real responsibility and maturity looks like.
