Social media is one of the life’s aspects, on which parents wish to have more control, but they can’t. Even if you think that you know how your kids use social media sites, you may still get just one part of the story.
They Want to Break Free
You could be surprised to learn that more than 40% of teens want to unplug, according to a recent study. Still, many of them find it hard to do that either because they fear they would spoil their relationship with their friends or because they are addicted to social media. Yes, social media addiction is a real thing! Moreover, it is estimated that 4 in 10 teens have developed some form of internet addiction. Therefore, dear parents, do interfere and remind your kids to spend less time looking at the bright screens of their devices.
They Wish Parents Would Unplug As Well
They may not admit it, but many teens are annoyed by their parents’ constant use of digital technology. According to researchers 21% of children wish their mum and dad would unplug more often.
They Know How to Trick You
Nearly 60% of teens know how to hide their online activity from their parents, informs McAfee. This percentage jumps to 65% when children go into their teen period.
They Have Already Broke Most Rules You Have Set
If you are one of the parents that has taken the time to give their kids a lecture on all dangers that the internet hides, you will shocked to learn this probably had zero effect on your children’s online behavior. The majority of teens admit they have communicated with a stranger on the web. Furthermore, over 40% share they have done that by the time they were 12. A little over 20% of kids have posted very negative comments on at least one social media website by the age of 11. Even more disturbing is the finding that 86% of teens have shared things on the web, which they knew they should not share.
What Parents Can Do?
The above mentioned facts are not easy to change. Still, this does not mean you should let your kids use the web freely. What you can do in an attempt to prevent any inappropriate social media behavior, limit device use only to the shared family space (living room, kitchen). Also, consider installing advanced software for monitoring and not for content or website blocking. Monitoring programs can work quietly on any device without kids knowing. That will allow you to get a real glimpse into their online life and see whether there is anything worth worrying about. Software that blocks and limits access to web content will be instantly spotted by teens and they will find a way to overcome that obstacle.
