Parent Tips for Healthy Social Media Use
Parents often ask for tips for teen social media use. My usual response is to remind their kids that phones are tools not toys, Google is a resource library, and social media is meant to be social. Unfortunately, with the average person spending 2.5 hours a day on social media platforms, the boundaries for our kids need to be discussed.
Start with these tips for social media use. Keep in mind, a parent’s presence is the best safety precaution for kid’s of all ages with technology.
Parent Tips for Healthy Social Media Use
- Be affirming at home. Love, accept, and affirm your kids.
- Build strong, trustworthy, honest relationships within the family and extended family.
- Listen more than talk to teens. Ask questions and wait/expect answers. Conversations are two-way streets.
- Weave faith into all parts of life. Be a Jesus-centered family, across the board at work, home, school, sports, etc.
- Encourage delayed gratification. Waiting is okay, for everyone.
- Create tech free zones in your home. The dinner table and bedrooms are good choices.
- Model and encourage healthy conflict resolution. It’s easy to “friend” and “unfriending” online. Making and keeping friends is harder.
- Keep learning to be up-to-date on tech and the culture. Safety in number one. Remind kids not to share personal information online with anyone. Set and monitor privacy settings.
- Phones are a privilege one can lose. If Mom and Dad are paying the phone bill, the phone ultimately belongs to Mom and Dad.
- Be a good role model for your child in what you read and post on social media.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Colossians 3:20
© 2024 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.
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