Social media confounds many parents. Parents who don’t have experience with online interactions are at a loss, and many parents who do are unsure how they should monitor and interact with their kids via these channels. The news is full of stories involving kids misbehaving and getting into trouble online, so how can you make sure you’re setting the right rules for your kids? More importantly, how can you proactively protect your kids on social media?
The first thing you need to do, if you haven’t done it already, is create social media accounts. Join Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and any other network that your kids are a part of. Connect with your kids. Just the fact they know that you can see what they are doing online will make them think twice before posting a questionable picture or less than thoughtful comment.
Some parents want to know their kids’ passwords so they can see firsthand everything they’re doing online. That certainly makes it easier to monitor your kids, but for some parents it’s a case of too much information. Password sharing depends strongly on the level of privacy you afford your kids, and ultimately on their level of maturity.
It’s important for parents to look past some of the negative characteristics of social media to see its true value. If you use it as a way to monitor and interact with your kids, it’s an invaluable window into their lives.
