Kids are becoming more attached to technology as time goes on. Just a couple of generations back, it seems the main forms of entertainment for kids were playing tag or climbing trees. These days, however, some children have access to smartphones and tablets from infancy to adulthood.
Even though there are rules in place to restrict young children from using social media, it takes no effort to lie about your age online. This results in children being exposed to dangers that previous generations didn’t have to worry about.
For example, kids might face self-esteem issues, become addicted, or face stranger danger because of social media. That’s why we’ve outlined our guide below: To provide you with tips to help your children cultivate a healthy relationship with social media and technology.
- Keep Your Kids Educated
The more your child knows about the dangers of social media, the more likely they will be to maintain a healthy social media relationship. Some nasty side effects that can occur from overuse of social media include: self esteem issues, anxiety, eating disorders, insomnia, FOMO, and more.
You may want to set aside some time to watch documentaries on social media and technology usage with your kids. That way, before you set them loose on the internet, they have an understanding about how they can keep themselves safe.
Keeping your kids educated will help them maintain their mental health in the long-run.
- Set Boundaries
These days, most smartphones have features allowing parents to control how kids are able to use their smartphone. For example, you can put screen time limits on certain apps such as Instagram or Facebook, to limit your child’s usage.
In addition to digital boundaries, it’s good to have house rules in regards to how you let your children use technology. For example, you may want to create a rule that there are no smartphones at the dinner table or before bed.
- Set an Example
Kids are like sponges. If they see their parents exhibit a particular behavior pattern, they are likely to fall in-line with similar habits. So, if your smartphone usage is out of control, your kids may pick up on that, regardless of how much you warn them of the dangers of technology.
This is why it’s important to work on your own screen time and social media habits. The better a role model you are, the more likely your kids are to fall in-step with your healthy habits.
- Encourage Engaging Activities
One of the main drivers of social media and technology usage is boredom. You’re most likely to be caught scrolling on Instagram or Tiktok when you’re bored. Instead, make sure that your child has an exciting schedule filled with activities that they enjoy doing.
For example, you might sign your children up for a sport, take them to the park, or pay for music lessons. The more things your child is passionate about, the less time they will have to scroll on their phones. Developing a creative skill in your child has the added bonus of potentially improving their self-esteem.
Closing Takeaways
Once social media habits are out of control, it can be difficult to repair a child’s relationship with their technology. That’s why it’s best to teach your children healthy screen time and social media habits as early as possible. For more tips on how to keep your children safe from the potential harms of social media and technology, check out the below infographic.
