Children and social media: allow or deny

Social networks have become part of the life of most urban residents, they are used with preschool to old age. And, of course, parents are worried that the child on the social network does not get into an unpleasant story, does not become a victim of bullying or blackmail, and does not meet bad people. And just so that he does not constantly sit in gadgets.

But what is the right thing to do? Completely ban the child from using social networks? Is this even possible?

1. The rules for using gadgets and, in particular, social networks should be the same for all family members. It should not be so that a child can sit there for half an hour a day, and parents spend 5-6 hours on social networks.

2. The child will still register on social networks. The more forbidden the fruit, the higher the desire to taste it. If you categorically forbid a child from social networks, he will have to go to deception and tricks in order to still use them. Why undermine trust in your relationship and make your child lie?

3. The initial task of social networks is socialization, acquaintance and communication with other people. And the child will become an outcast in a team where everyone uses social networks, and his parents banned him. And we return to the previous point - he will lie, but will get himself a secret account.

4. By prohibiting social networks, you provoke a child into a double life. At first, he lied and secretly registered on social networks under a pseudonym, then he made himself not the most successful acquaintances there - but you will not see all of this in time, because you will think that the child sacredly fulfills your order to stay away from social networks.

5. Using social networks, the child learns to safety on the Internet. The task of parents is not to prohibit and protect, but to teach how to use. Just as one day he will use potentially dangerous outlets, a stove and an iron, so you need to be able to use social media. The less a child has the correct knowledge about Internet safety, the more mistakes he will make. Let him use social media, but be careful.

6. Don't be afraid of your child's addiction to social media. Sooner or later he will start using them anyway, no matter how much you want to stop his development by reading books. The task of parents is to set frames and boundaries: no more than 3 hours a day of using gadgets, show how to use social networks with benefit, where to look for useful information, how to entertain and occupy yourself without social networks.

You will also be interested to read:

• How to beat your child's internet cravings
• Why kids prefer gadgets to their parents
• 5 gadgets that are good for a student