We need to wake up and smell the roses… parents!
Kids all around the world are joining in social media outlets. I do not have a problem with this if the parents are involved with their child’s account. My oldest daughter has an instagram account. It is very alarming at the pictures that show up on her friend’s accounts. I check her account daily and she cannot accept friend requests unless she runs them by me. Also, she cannot follow other friends unless she asks me. If I see a picture come across her instragram account that does not look appropriate, she has to block that friend.
I have noticed some kids that are setting up multiple accounts and asking for followers. These are people that they have never met before and personally do not know. Parents need to realize that bad things can happen in social media if we do not keep all our bases covered with our children. Be present in your child’s daily life and all that they do in the online world. It is our responsibility to keep our child safe from harm.
Obviously, I am a social media geek. There is no denying on my part and of course the social media geek title is going to trickle down to my girls. It is already happening as mentioned above with my oldest daughter setting up an instragram account. The thing is, we need to teach social media responsibility or things can go negative very quickly.
1. Check your child’s accounts multiple times a day.
2. Ensure you know all passwords at all times.
3. Check all text messages and cell phone calls. Our provider, Verizon Wireless, allows this with special account management for families.
4. Set ground rules to where you have to approve of your child’s followers and requests.
5. Have open conversations with your child everyday so you know what is going on in their world.
It frightens me that some of my close friends are allowing their child to be in the social media world with no rules or limitations. It is time to wake up and realize what your child is doing in the technology world and be alarmed. Be prepared!
Hi Jen,
Excellent post, I could not agree with you more. I too am involved in having a watchful eye with the media world my children are involved in. That was the stipulation I imposed right from the beginning, to know all passwords and that I would monitor the accounts. I also gave instructions on how they were to conduct them self’s while using social media. Seeing what some children post and to know their parents are unaware is shocking. Social media can be good but also when not used appropriately can be very bad for our children. Great that you are getting the word out there Jen, more parents should be aware of what their children are posting. As you mentioned with cell phones, I also tell my children having a cell phone is a luxury not a privilege and at any time that I have the right to check their phones. As parents it is what we must do to keep our children safe.