Kids nowadays are social media savvy. Your really cannot keep your kids away from the everlasting influence of internet as it is all over the place. Kids do not understand that they must not share all the information with their online friends or let their opinion affect their lives. However, it is important for parents to guide their kids and make them aware of the harmful effects of social media. Here are a few tips:
Enhance your knowledge
Parents can never guide their kids until they themselves learn and research about these social networks. Do not hesitate to make your profile and use that for a while, as your first hand experience would enhance you understanding and enable you to keep an eye on your kids too.
Quite surprisingly, most parents do not know what different kinds of social networks are there and how to use them. Apart from Face book, twitter, snap chat countless number of social networks are available and each one has its own risks.
Face to face communication
Parents must encourage their kids to share their concerns and problems face to face instead of posting them on social networking websites. Tell them that they must resolve their issues and confront their friends who have hurt them, as declaring your emotions to all does not serve the purpose. Tell them that they must restrict their online friends list to the people they know as everyone else is a stranger.
Tell them about the risk involved
Until parents share the information with their kids or warn them, they hardly get to know about the risk factors. You must be bold enough to tell them about the harmful consequences and give real life examples too. The pictures and videos they post to their friends can easily be misused. You may get many examples around you that can be used for reference. Clear their doubts and answer their questions to make them understand. You should also check the picture your kids are posting to their friends. Keep yourself aware of their online friends as well.
Install the computer where you can keep an eye
Parent should never allow their kids to have computer system in their rooms until they are mature. If you keep a computer system in your living room, you can keep an eye on their activities or supervise them easily.
Create your own profile
Even if you do not like the idea of having a profile, you must create one for the sake of your kids. The reason is that you really cannot check the account of your kids until you have your own login details with you. Moreover, this way you can keep yourself informed about the pros and cons of social networking. An active involvement may help you a lot in keeping yourself all informed.
Fix time limit for cell phone usage
Almost all social networking websites are quite accessible through cell phone as most people use smart phones these days. It is important that you restrict the use of cell phones. Do not allow your kids to have their cell phone in their rooms at night. Ask them to turn off their cell phones when they are studying or at dinnertime. If your kids have their cell phone in their pocket all the time, or check it repeatedly than it must ring the bell.
In an ideal world, kids must not use social networking until they are adults but that is no possible. With your guidance and support, kids may get to know ill effects of social network and use it wisely.
