Children and the Dangers of Social Media.
This week’s topic is about children and the dangers of social media.
(Lori Jayne Mayfield)
Several decades ago, when I grew up, we were outside in the sunshine playing until dinner time. Today is a much different world than even only a decade ago. Now, we live in a world of advanced technology and overabundance of social media.
The stranger danger of yesterday, is now online. Parents today are faced with decisions about how soon, or even if, they should buy their kids a cellphone or tablet. Just a sidenote, many professionals, including our Surgeon General, advise the minimum age for kids to be on social media is 16 -18 years old. Knowing the dangers that come with social media and the internet, is first. Parents need to do some homework to realize what their kids may encounter when they download various apps. There are thousands of apps and more being created all the time, so it may feel like a daunting task. But there is hope!
Suffice it to say, ALL apps carry the inherent danger of being exposed to predators. But be encouraged. There are many things you can do to try to keep your children safe. Below are some suggestions to get you started:
- Put parental controls on your child’s phone.
- Any app your child has on their phone, you should have on yours along with their passwords.
- Ensure your home router is secure. (Bark Home is one internet filter available, https://www.bark.us/learn/bark-home/).
- Check out Officer David Gomez on Facebook or You Tube. He is a wealth of information regarding parenting in the age of social media. https://www.facebook.com/deputygomez/ and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXkte-5lPIcRHLvvEtYOB2A
Come back for our next topic: Conversations with your children and teens.