This is not the only question that comes to our mind when we think about how social media can destroy a young mind. But this issue is on the rise. Moreover, we have given them some devices that are only for their usage.
If this is the scenario, can we prevent them from surfing the bad links? Yes! Here are some tips that should be noted and followed to save the day.
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| Tech-savvy tots. |
As a parent, you should know about social media terrors. If you know about it, you will be in a position to tell your children about it. Again, every social network has different risks. Don’t relax once you have understood the risks related to Facebook. There are other popular social media platforms your child might use such as Twitter, Snapchat, Tumblr, etc. So, educate yourself about the platform before your child uses it. Once you have adequate knowledge about it, you can tell the DOs and DON’Ts of these platforms to your child.
Check for the age limit.
If Facebook says that your child should be at least 13 years to use that social network, understand it and keep your child away from it until the age of 13. However, if you have understood the risks and feel that your child should be at least 16 or 18 to be on that particular social network, take necessary steps to keep them away till they can understand the risks and face it on their own. Having said that, we are not suggesting that you should keep them away from social networks till you are alive, but let them use it once they are old enough to tackle basic issues on their own.
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| Enjoying Totoro! :) |
If you are planning to buy a tablet or laptop to help your child study, you should change your plans and get a computer instead. This is important because you can place the computer in the common area in your home and keep a watch on your child’s activities. So, get a computer for him and make your task simpler. If you are planning to buy a computer, visit ChameleonJohn and look for matching coupons that will help you get the same at a discounted price.
Privacy settings.
On every device they use, you should check the privacy settings. On your computer, you can modify the section ‘parental control’. Similarly, if you have gifted your child a smartphone or a tablet, you can check ‘content filtering’ and modify it accordingly. You can also know about the sites they have visited by looking at the history of sites visited.
Your child is vulnerable. Don’t make the mistake of letting him stay alone and do whatever he or she wants. This can be risky, very risky!
What else have you tried to keep your child safe from social media terrors? Share your views in the comments.
7 replies:
Facebook is pretty scary for kids considering how many kids are bullied on social media now. I worry about whether or not that will be an issue for my son when he's older.
Parental control is the way to go. All parents need to watch where their child goea on the net.
I have the child settings on the kids laptops.
Social Media is playing a major role today & I very agree that there is always a chance of kids mind being spoiled too. Every parent has the responsibility to make sure they are guided well to avoid surfing the bad links. I think tweaking the Privacy Settings helps the most.
We have always monitored the things my kids do on the Internet. We installed open dns and it limits what they can surf.
The age limit strikes a chord. My daughter is about to turn 16 now, but when she was younger she had a ton of friends on Facebook and I just didn't get it why their parents allowed it. I didn't.
Great tips here. I can't even imagine how challenging it would be to raise a kid in this day and age.
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