“Send me a photo on Snapchat”. “Did you see what she posted on her story last night?”. Phrases like these are becoming something parents are commonly hearing amongst their children, with social media being the culprit behind it.
Whilst social media has been of great help to many, with it giving instant access to new and upcoming information, trends and a method to make new connections, there are also things on there that not many youngsters are aware of, that pose as major threats to them.
As a parent, it has become so important to ensure your child knows how to use online platforms sensibly, in order to benefit from all the good it has to offer. Read on for some advice from this boarding school in England, on teaching your child to use social media responsibly.
Be nice
Because social media is an online platform, many begin to develop the confidence to say whatever they want without thinking, even though they would not do it in a real-life situation.
Remind your child that mean behaviour is never okay. Make it very clear that you expect your child to respect whoever they come across online, and to never post any embarrassing or hurtful messages. Reiterate that they need to tell you straight away if they are being bullied or harassed.
Think twice
It’s definitely easy to forget, but anything that is posted online is there forever. Remind your child that there are people out there with unkind intentions, meaning their posts can be used against them.
If they are looking to post a picture that they know could get them in a little bit of trouble, encourage them to resist and keep it to themselves as they do not want it getting into the wrong hands. Likewise, they should never post any private information such as locations or phone numbers.
Social media is constantly growing, and keeping your child away from it will do no good. Instead, limit their use and show them the correct way to use it, to gain confidence that they are safe once they enter the online world.
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