The world grows more interconnected by the second. With social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more overtaking our children’s lives, it’s important for parents to draw that line and monitor their kids’ time online. For parents, here’s how you can monitor your child’s social media use.
Utilize Parental Controls for Your Child’s Social Media Use
When it comes to monitoring your child’s social media use, it’s important to utilize parental controls depending on the child’s age. For Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads, they offer a number of parental controls to give parents power over their child’s social media use.
Some privacy controls parents have…
– Screen time: this sets limits on how long the device remains in operation. Limiting your child’s screen time can prevent online addiction and can also be physically beneficial by avoiding eye strain
– Content and Privacy Restrictions: You can limit what apps and contents your child accesses
– Prevent iTunes and App Store purchases: Save yourself from unnecessary credit card purchases and your child from downloading harmful apps in which they can interact with strangers and more.
Restrict explicit content: There’s plenty of music, videos, TV shows, movies, and more with certain age restrictions on them. You can restrict higher-rated content for your young child.
Enact Time Limits
As previously mentioned, limiting screen time is important when it comes to monitoring your child’s social media use.
For example, if your child enjoys spending a lot of time on Instagram, you may want to set a time limit of one hour per day and then set an alert on their phone that goes off when the hour is up. This way it forces them to stop what they’re doing and breaks up their social media habit into smaller chunks throughout the day.
Moreover, it’s impossible to control everything your children do online, but there are things that you can do in order for them to not use social media as much and for them to learn how to use it responsibly in moderation.
Keep Tabs on Their Social Media Accounts
If your child is of age, you can allow them to have social media accounts; but with a caveat. If you’re concerned about their safety online, children have the ability to make their social media accounts private. That way, strangers can’t contact them online unless their follow request has been approved.
It’s also a good idea for parents to also be on social media, following their kids and making sure they’re not posting questionable content and behaving appropriately online. And don’t forget to have your child’s login information!
Have Age-Appropriate Discussions with Your Child About Online Safety
When it comes to online safety and monitoring your child’s social media use, it’s important to discuss with your child the dangers of being online. There are many strangers online that are willing to take advantage of children, so understanding how to spot those harmful individuals will best serve your child in regards to their safety.
But now that you know all about the dangers of social media and how to keep your kids safe while they use it, it’s important not to shun these technologies. Social media can be a great way for children to connect with each other and learn new skills in a safe environment. It’s important, however, that parents be involved in their children’s lives, and that includes monitoring their online activity — while having fun too!
