“Adults constantly raise the bar on smart children, precisely because they're able to handle it. The children get overwhelmed by the tasks in front of them and gradually lose the sort of openness and sense of accomplishment they innately have. When they're treated like that, children start to crawl inside a shell and keep everything inside. It takes a lot of time and effort to get them to open up again. Kids' hearts are malleable, but once they gel it's hard to get them back the way they were.”
With parenting, there is always some new event, technology, or situation that parents must weigh and measure the pros and cons before a decision is made. As a matter of fact that’s what parents are, the last bastion against the corruption of the future generation. The future is rife with possibilities and pitfalls. With social media, there are bountiful amounts of each, and an increasingly obscuring vision with which to judge it. As parents, it’s important to promote independence, self-worth, and the capability to solve problems in a child. Social media has proven to increase these very things in adults with a measure of caution, but with the ever present cyber-bullying, identity theft, creeper threat and draw into mundane activities such as online gaming, how can parents guide a child to greatness without hindering their independence? When approached with this dilemma, parents must make a critical judgment call in order to provide clear guidance to their child on how and when they can be trusted with this great to, but how can this be achieved?
Concerning social media, as with most other things, a decision can only be made when all of the positives and negatives are weighed. Most of the positive aspects of social media are already known. Some of them include, quick and easy collaboration among peers, social diversity, readily available up to date information, and near instantaneous communication with friends, family and peers. These features can be applied as tools to many aspects of development, such as social diversity, learning and creativity enhancement, and general respect for the expression of others. The benefit of having ideas, opinions, and information literally at your fingertips can be astounding in the education arena. According to an article in the Nordicom Review (32) in 2011, a study was conducted on the social displacement of children and media usage (varying types). In this study, research was conducted to prove what was referred to as social displacement or a decreased sum of time devoted to activities that didn't involve media usage due to said media usage. While the media referred to in this study was all encompassing, social media coupled with hand held Wi-Fi devices or phones were the focus. This study resulted in
So what’s the right decision?
When it comes down to the very basic components, the positives and negative balance each other. A parent’s number one priority is to provide the child with everything they need to be successful and the positives offer much in the way of that as far as social development is concerned. The negatives, though potentially fatal, can be mitigated through education and vigilance by the parents of the child. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, so the question becomes what can the parent do to protect the child should the decision allow access to social media? The answer is both simple and complex. There are various social media software suites like AVIRA, TrueCare, and Norton Family that provide a generic protection from typical pitfalls with features like conversation, photo, and friend monitoring using algorithmic based engine software which can be considered intrusive. Educating the child can provide a greater understanding of why and how to protect yourself from the pitfalls of social media. Finally, a parent should set and strictly adhere to a list of rules regarding access, maybe in the form of a contract holding the child accountable, and be nosy from time to time to ensure curiosity doesn't the get the better of the child. In conclusion, the parent’s ability to control the situation ultimately dictates the choice of whether or not to allow access to this great tool. While the effort may be great, the benefits could certainly lead to a future of social prowess in a world where social networking is prevalent. After all, is it not a parent's ultimate responsibility to provide everything a child needs to be successful?
David Wilde
Regis University
April 20, 2013
References
Media User Types among Young Children and Social Displacement, by Tor Endestad, Jan Heim, Birgit Kaare, Leila Togersen & Peter Bae Brandtzaeg, Nordicom Review 32 (2011) 1, pp. 17-30
Youth Connecting Online: From Chat Rooms to Social Networking Sites, by Natalia W
6 comments:
I really liked the information provided in your blog. As a parent to an 8 year old, we are just beginning to see some negative trends after she uses the computer. As a result, she is only able to go to websites that my husband and I approve and she has limited computer time. There will be no Facebook or Twitter (or similar) for her until she is old enough to know all of the responsibilities with online communicating with friends and all of the possible repercussions.
Great blog post!
From iPads and iPhones to Twitter and Instagram, technology is changing the way children interact with the world. Like most aspects of parenting, balance is the key. Social Media and Technology are an incredibly positive part of our lives, and our kids should be able to create and use it to their own benefit. They need to use a computer for school to do their homework and assignments. Just as adults have a difficult time shutting off their computers, iPads, smart phones when they get home — kids will need some kind rules and monitoring to use their computer for school work.
Ej
Great post, I agree, children’s with access in social media is certainly unavailable. One can only hope that parents play a larger role in this issue. Restrictions have to be place on ever computer children’s have access to, not to mention cell phones and other devices. You are right kids are always curious and easily influence by their friends which raised many questions.
This was a great blog. As a parent of two little girls, I am always worried about what sites to let them get on and which ones to avoid. The internet is a great tool to help children find information and connect with family, but there is so much out there that is dangerous to children and can teach them the wrong things. As parents, we must always strive to lookout for our children and make the right decision for them, even though it is sometimes hard to know what the right decision is. Too little time on the internet and they may miss out on a great tool; too much time and they could get in trouble.
Very valid points. I had no restriction growing up since the internet was a new and coming thing. There were no social networking sites at the time, but the general means of communication was done through chat rooms and message boards. My girls are 2 years old. I've got some time to think about how to handle this, but I'm thinking I won't want to outright restrict usage. Your suggestions of monitoring and being a bit nosy are good suggestions.
I enjoyed reading your post. I do not have any children myself, but I definitely believe it can be beneficial to expose your child to social networking, as long as you feel that your child is mature enough. Not only that, you must educate your child on the pitfalls of the internet as you described in your blog. Knowledge is power, and without it, your child will only be more susceptible to this. I also do not see any issues installing applications on computers are smartphones that can aid in monitoring what your child is doing, especially if the tool is meant only for educational purposes. A parent should be able to use every tool available to them that will help protect their child, while still letting them experience life.
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