Having the Social Media “Talk”
When parents help kids navigate social media, they better understand how to create and maintain a healthy context for their digital lives.
When parents become involved with kids’ media lives, kids consume less and understand more of what they consume. Parents can help teens and tweens navigate social media with an “Social Media Talk” that helps their kids understand how to create and maintain a healthy context for their digital lives. Continue reading to learn what to ask and the downside to unmonitored social media consumption.
What to Ask
Kids’ use of social media can be constructive and healthy—they can make friends online based on shared interests or play games that make them feel connected to others. But it’s also important to check in with your children. Here are seven things to ask and discuss with your child.
- What are your favorite things to do online?
- What is personal information? Why should you keep it private?
- What could you do to be safer online?
- What would you do if anyone online asked to meet IRL (in real life)?
- Besides me, who do you feel you can talk to if you are in a scary or uncomfortable situation?
- What would you do if someone asked you, “Where do you live? What are you wearing? Do you want to have a private conversation?”
- What’s okay to post? And what’s not okay to share?
What to Look Out For
There can be downsides to unmonitored social media. Here are five things to consider when your child is interacting with others online.
- Lack of In-Person Socialization. Kids who predominantly spend their free time online gaming or in chat rooms can’t practice real-life social skills.
- Isolation. Tweens and teens don’t recognize that having hundreds of online “friends” doesn’t translate into sustainable, deep, or, in many instances, real friendships.
- Predatory Danger. Inappropriate postings and inexperience with predatory behavior can lead to harassment.
- Addiction. While parents may think, “They’re home online and safe,” parents may unintentionally be nurturing a growing screen addiction. This can affect wellness on many levels: reduced sleep, weight gain, diminished social skills, increased levels of aggression, and lower grades.
- Bullying. When kids have unrestricted access to technology, they can become either victims or perpetrators of cyber-bullying, which can include everything from mean messages to inappropriate images. These messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience.
No Blame, No Shame
The key to successfully navigating teens, tweens, and screens is maintaining an ongoing dialogue. Want to know what your kids are doing online? Sit with them and have a conversation. And remember that if your tween or teen has chosen to share their feelings with you, buckle up, because you can’t show fear, blame, or shame. Prepare to be your best self and to listen keenly, so you can foster future conversations.
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