Whether we like it or not, social media is here to stay. As the adults in our children’s lives, it’s smart to be savvy in our quest to keep them safe while still preparing them for life in a digital world. Are you starting from scratch to comprehend the vast world of social media? You’re not alone, and there’s a lot to learn! For starters, here’s our primer on the ABCs of Social Media.
Once you know what social media is, the next step is learning how kids use it. You’ll want to learn what sites your children are interested in using and find out what accounts they may already have. (Though your rules may be different, most social media platforms require users to be at least 13 years old to create an account.)
Ask your child:
- What do you like about social media sites?
- How do social media sites make some things more complicated?
- Do you ever find it hard follow the rules of digital citizenship?
- What happens when users don’t follow those rules?
- Have you ever been cyberbullied or do you know someone who has?
- How do you and your friends handle that?
- How do you keep yourself safe online?
