“Children represent the future, encourage, support and guide them”, Catherine Pulsifer
As a parent, you want the best for your child, right? We all do.
Well, with the integration of social media into our human culture, the number of kids owning accounts in this sites has a grown up tremendously.
According to recent research conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 22 percent of teens log onto their preferable social sites at least ten times a day.
Admittedly, it has fostered their relationships with family friends located in far places. Helped them connect with local and international friends. And has got a hand in building strong interpersonal relations among other positive things.
On the other hand, like anything in life, social media has some misgivings too. For instance, bad influence on our kids brought about by their uncontrolled indulgence in it.
According to statistics, 41% of teens have had a negative experience as a result of utilizing a social network site, and most probably the percentage would rise as more children get initiated.
It’s appalling when kids as young as those in third, fourth, and fifth grade start to sext and becoming victims of cyberbullying.
Therefore, let’s see how you can safeguard your little angels from the preying dark side of the internet world, shall we?
Monitor your child’s activities on social media sites
Keeping an eye on your teen’s activities on some social apps such as the Kik messenger can be a daunting task, right?
Accessing the application can be tough since it is password protected and won’t allow your access unless otherwise. Furthermore, your child might become cagey and not want you snooping around their phone.
Luckily, there are some spy softwares at your disposal. Even better, they have own merits. For instance, they are legal and don’t infringe on the child’s rights, are easy to use and offer useful functionalities such as providing your kid’s location without interfering with their freedom.
Be a responsible parent
It’s sickening (sorry) to see how people expose their little ones to harm’s way. This can be by posting their personal details on social sites such as Facebook and mommy blogs. It is critical to note that predators use the net to target children, and that there has been an increase in the number of kids who have been victimized by them.
What you thought as an innocent picture of your child on an online site, can become a source of sexual gratification to some perverted mind somewhere. So, before posting that pic or personal detail, think twice.
Be conversant with the latest social media apps and educate your children on the proper use of them
If you aren’t up to speed with the most recent social networking applications, chances are that you may not be of help in case they become victims of cyberbullying or any other internet crime.
Therefore, opt to have thorough knowledge concerning the present social media sites and how they work. Then, have a discussion with your kids and educate them on the positive and negative uses of social media and set ground rules.
Moreover, restrict access to social media for those who are below 13 years of age. You can also check out the settings on your kid’s phone and applications and disable the location services on the apps, which can keep predators at bay.
Centrally locate your kids’ computer
Children can be naughty if left alone in secluded places. Therefore, rather than placing a computer system in their bedroom, locate it in a central location where you can keep an eye on them.
This will put them into shape, as they will less likely stray to unwanted material or information as per your ground rules
Conclusion
As the world continues to advance technologically, so are internet crimes. Therefore, intricate measures need to be taken to protect your loved ones from the evils of social media.
Observe
your kids behavior for any signs of victimization, cyberbullying or any other
vice, and take appropriate action. If not a victim of either then take
preventive measures