It is normal to worry about your child’s safety 24/7, especially now that the streets are not the safest place for them. If your kids could only stay on the premises of your Dasmariñas Cavite lot for sale, you would be more at ease. But of course, that’s impossible for children are bound to explore.
And as everything and everyone becomes available online, it is kind of hard to prevent your kids from creating their online presence. Some children nowadays would rather want to spend their free time on their phones than go out of their rooms or homes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that because everyone wants an entirely different kind of fun. But when the usage becomes excessive, you as a parent should be concerned.
Social Media platforms are indeed helpful, but you don’t know what kind of content your child is being exposed to. So, as early as now, you should teach your children the basics of social media and how they can veer away from danger. Doing so will allow you to trust your children despite them engaging online plus you would be more at ease.
Is Social Media Safe for Children?
But the concern of almost every parent goes along the lines of “Is social media really safe for your children?”
Social media and the internet in general play an important role in your children’s lives. It has benefits such as that it is used to connect with friends and families. Social media sites can also help teens and young people improve their creativity through the vast content available online. But if you are talking about the privacy settings of your kids, it’s important to bear in mind that while it has benefits, social media poses threats that can be very dangerous, especially for young kids.
So, the answer is yes and no. Yes, if you leave your kids unattended or are unaware of the social media’s danger. No, if you set boundaries and limitations to protect them. The internet will be much safer for your kids if they know the basics of media safety.
How Is Social Media Affecting Children?
There are both positive and negative effects social media has on kids. Social media use allows children to improve their socializing skills and build self-esteem. This is possible when they are engaged in an online community that is good for them. And while social media builds the self-esteem of kids through inspirational posts and relatable content, it’s also one way to lower it. Social media can be the cause of comparison between what your kids see online and how they are in real life. Not to mention that online content can also be a big influence on how kids react and behave. Setting clear boundaries can help lessen the danger social media has on your kids.
Should Kids Use Social Media? Why?
Yes, kids at the right age should be able and allowed to use social media, especially now that almost everything is being shifted online like communication in school and the like. However, just like how you always remind your kids to stay safe even inside your Dasmariñas Cavite lot for sale, emphasize to them that in using social media, there are do’s and don’ts. They should tread carefully because not everything and everyone on the internet or social media can be trusted.
Since, you cannot trust social media, put your trust in your kids instead. It’s not a safe place for everyone but you should believe that your kids will only want what is good for them. Set limitations but still allow them to explore. Let them enjoy the fun social media has while continuously guiding and teaching them about social media safety.
How Does Media Affect Child Development?
With controlled screen time and monitored content engagement, parents can minimize the effect of social media on their child’s development. However, when children use social media excessively, it can lead to poor eyesight and compromise their sleep. And you can’t control what they see online, so some content is bound to affect and cause anxiety and stress. In addition, excessive use of social media can lead to addiction to the point where they can’t put their mobile devices down. This can result in less social face-to-face interaction with other people.
How to Keep Your Child Safe on Social Media?
Check Privacy Settings
After creating your kid’s profile, it is important to check the privacy settings of each platform they will be using. This is to make sure that the audience of your kid’s post is controlled and only visible to those whom you will allow.
Limit Personal Information
As much as possible, prevent your kids from sharing personal information like their real names online for it can be used without their consent. Teach your kids about the things that they can share online and those that are not allowed to be posted.
Stranger Danger!
Kids are very vulnerable to strangers with ill intentions that’s why it’s important to remind your kids to not talk and engage with someone they don’t know online.
Keep Private!
For young kids, it is highly necessary to keep their profiles private. This is to make sure that posts are only seen by people you know and trust. Doing so will increase the safety of your kids across platforms.
How Can Social Media Be Used for Awareness?
Since almost everyone is using social media, it is important to use the platform effectively by raising awareness and giving tips for social media safety for kids. This can be done by posting more content across all social media platforms about the positives and dangers social media has. If the users are underaged, platforms should prompt their users to use the platform wisely and remind them of their limitations. Campaigns about how to use social media safely are also one great way to raise awareness. It can be done in the form of photos, video documentation, animations, and testimonials from both kids and parents of their experience online.
Read more: Online Safety and Cyber Security for Your Children
