Social Media for kids - a complete guide for Mums
Posted on
Following on from our recent informative guest post about social media, we are delighted to share another guest post, which heralds as "A complete guide for Mums"
There's no getting away from social media sites. By the end of 2011, almost half of the UK's population had signed up for a Facebook account and, while the majority of users were adults, younger teens still represented a significant slice of the pie.
Technically, a child has to be 13 to use Facebook in the first place but some simply lie about their age in order to get an account. There are other social sites to consider and kids of any age can run into problems on them.
Benefits and drawbacks of social media
Researchers have uncovered a phenomenon that's been labelled 'Facebook depression'. Many users tend to portray their lives as a never-ending round of fun and excitement and teenagers with self-esteem issues may feel lacking in comparison. Youngsters who overuse social media sites can also exhibit anxiety, may get less exercise and could be distracted from schoolwork.
It's not all bad news however. Psychologists also point out that the use of social networks can help develop empathy. Introverted kids can be encouraged to socialise and social networks can also be used as teaching resources to engage disaffected youngsters. As with most things in life, social media sites can cause the most harm when used incorrectly or to excess.
Kid-friendly sites
There are a number of social media sites designed specially for kids. Sites such as Yoursphere and giantHello offer kid-only environments and most have a number of safeguards built-in. These may include real-time monitoring of on-site activity and stringent parental permissions and filters to help manage incoming messages and online friend requests. Kid-friendly sites not only provide a safer online experience but can be used as 'trainer sites', giving you the opportunity to discuss the various issues before they move on to other platforms and sites.
Keeping them safe
One of the major concerns expressed by parents is that kids might be exposed to unsavoury and even predatory individuals on social media sites. 'TMI' is a common acronym these days. If you don't know what it means, it stands for 'Too Much Information' and it's a good watchword to drum into your kids. Discuss the dangers and help them understand that giving out too much personal information online could lead to unwanted attention, identity theft and malicious impersonation.
Cyberbullying is another huge issue for today's kids. Victims can be affected just as badly as if they were being bullied in person. Encourage your child to talk to you if it happens to them and block the offenders immediately.
Be prepared to report them to the website through which the bullying occurred, the relevant ISP's (Internet Service Providers) and even the police.
Teaching resources
Educators of all kinds are increasingly harnessing the power of social networks to engage with young people. There are hundreds of tips, tools and teaching resources available, ranging from platforms designed to make homework accessible and fun to tips and guides to staying safe online. Some of these are aimed specifically at teachers but others can be of great use to parents as well.
Author:
Carlo Pandian lives in London and blogs about education, technology and parenting covering everything from school art supplies to Iphone apps. When he’s not online or cycling around town, you can’t get it out of the kitchen for his love of food.
Add a comment: