Social media is often portrayed in a negative light, especially when kids are involved. Social media apps are considered a bane for young minds.
However, child experts view the issue from a different perspective. Recent surveys and research reports have hinted towards the benefits imparted by social media. And the global lockdown has proven that exposure to various social media platforms can facilitate smooth skill development among your kids.
But equally true is the fact that there has to be a limit. So, how much is actually too much? And what are the various benefits that social media platforms can offer to your child? Let’s read on!
Positive Impacts of Social Media on Kids
Social media, like everything else, has both good and bad aspects based on how one uses it. Pay close attention to your munchkins, and you will actually realize that social media platforms are instrumental in making your kids smart, aware, and mindful.
Through peer networking, kids also learn about the opportunity to write my essay by essayservice and find online courses for further academic growth. If used under supervision, social media can help your kids learn many things.
Boosts Literacy
Your kids may not show enough interest in regular studies. But they definitely love to surf through different social networking platforms, websites, and blogs.
Social networking requires today’s kids and teens to stay as relevant as they can. Call it peer pressure or the desire to appear cool, kids find ways to enhance their knowledge and follow people who exert different perspectives on social media.
Undoubtedly, adult interference is necessary to ensure that they are connected with the right kind of people and are following informative pages on social media. But when their feeds are informative, using social media only adds to their knowledge.
Enhances Reading and Writing Skills
The social media world is now dominated by content creators and bloggers, making the rest of the users the audience. Schools today encourage students from a very young age to blog as a part of their assignments.
Kids who blog find writing to be quite an interesting activity. Such individuals seldom look for someone to write my essay online because they are skilled enough to do it themselves. To gain more followers, they continue to upskill themselves. With time, they can write exceptionally well in their niche.
Also, kids who consume online blogs, e-magazines, etc., tend to improve reading skills, pronunciation, and vocabulary with time.
Sharpens Networking Abilities
Networking is an important step in career progress. Right from the beginning, kids learn the art of networking through social media platforms. Even the most introverted and shy kids can learn to open up and strengthen their network using social media tools.
Encourages Kids to Think Critically
Elementary schools have already started integrating media literacy with the mainstream curriculum. Teachers encourage students to understand the motive behind why something is being uploaded. Also, many schools are now training students about the ethical use of social networking tools.
Smart and Safe Usage of Social Media
If your kids love using different social media platforms, do not take it to be a red flag. Rather, focus on the brighter aspects. Instead of keeping them away from social media, promote the idea of smart and safe usage of these platforms.
- Familiarize yourself with different social media platforms. Before educating your kids about social media, you need to learn about various social media platforms. Know which ones are appropriate for your kids to use.
- Set a minimum age limit for your kids to join social media. Social media exposure at an early age can be detrimental. Kids who start using social media early in their childhood, when they should be indulged in physical activities, become more agitated and self-centered.
- Keep your kid’s account private. Make sure your kids keep their profiles private. This way, no stranger can get access to the images and other details.
- Teach your kids about different privacy settings. Keep a check on the privacy settings of your kid’s profile. Teach them the significance of these settings.
- Help them choose a strong password. Teach your kid the importance of choosing a strong password that cannot be decoded by hackers easily.
- Set a limit on maximum usage per day. Instill a sense of discipline in your children. Set a maximum limit of social media usage for them. In case they cross the limit, you can penalize them.
- Help them find informative pages to follow. Let them understand the value of the content they consume. Media has a profound impact on the brain as it can rewire your brain to think a certain way. Help them find good pages and accounts to follow.
Walk Your Kids Through the World of Social Media
Once you set these smart guidelines for social media usage, you need to make way for open communication with your kids. Be their friend so that they come to you to confide their online secrets. Hold their hands and guide them through the intricate yet amusing world of social media.
Let them know that you have got their back. Make them aware of cybercrimes like bullying. Teach them to stay away from a stranger’s friend request. Help them draw a line between their private and social life online. Make them understand that crossing this line can have consequences.
Your support and words of advice will encourage your children to use social media wisely. They will enjoy and learn simultaneously from these social networking sites.
In a Nutshell
When it comes to social media accessibility to kids, things can be neither completely black nor perfectly white. There will always be a grey area, and that’s where the need for adult supervision becomes inevitable. Kids can grow up to be better and smarter human beings when they use social media responsibly.
