Whether your child currently uses social media or if they haven’t reached that age just yet, it is important to talk with your kids about how to use social media wisely. There are plenty of good things about social media, but there are also risks. Here’s what to talk about with your children when it comes to social media:

The Good Things

There are many positive ways to use social media, such as staying connected with friends and family, especially those you don’t get to see often. It is also a great way to enhance creativity by sharing ideas, music, art, etc. Kids may use social media to communicate with classmates or to get involved with charities. It can even be used to interact with others who share similar interests.

The Not-So-Good Things

Social media can be a hub for cyberbullying and questionable activities. Kids often unintentionally share more than they should. Most use their real names and photos on their profiles and may provide their birthdate, school name, and town. This makes it easy for people they do not know to contact them online.

What Can Parents Do?

It is important to be aware of what your kids do online, but snooping can compromise the trust you have built with your child. Stay involved in a way that respects their privacy but allows you to make sure they are safe. Let your kids know that it is important to think twice before posting; they should never post anything that they wouldn’t want their teachers, college admissions officers, or elders to see. Go through privacy settings together to make sure your kids understand them. Make sure they know not to friend any person they do not know. Make it clear that they should always treat others with respect online, and ask them to tell you about any bullying messages that others post or that they receive.

Make a Contract       

Consider making a social media contract with your kids, in which they agree to consider their reputation, protect their privacy, and keep personal information to themselves. Parents should also sign the contract, agreeing to respect the privacy of their kids while still being a part of their social media world. Keep social media use limited and set up computers in public areas of the house rather than in private areas like bedrooms.

Walton Academy

Walton Academy is always striving to provide a consistent, nurturing and innovative environment for our students. We understand that early childhood education plays a large role in your child’s development, so we ensure they receive a high-quality education. With small classrooms and highly qualified teachers, you can be sure your child will receive individualized instruction, character education, and social-emotional habits.

Walton Academy firmly believes that an environment with minimal distractions is key to student success. To achieve an optimal learning environment and experience, we require each child to undergo our enrollment screening process. During our enrollment screening process, students are observed and assessed academically, behaviorally, and socially. Our enrollment screening ensures that our classroom environment remains focused and that each student can excel and reach their full potential. Contact us today to learn more!