Parenting In The Age Of Social Media

1. Limit access. As the person who controls the purse strings, you get to control what devices your children get to play with. Without the device, there's no gateway into the social media universe. Of course, it's not as simple as that—an iPad can be a great tool for kids and parents alike. The trap is when we use phones and tablets as a babysitter and let kids use them too much. If, in a moment of weakness, you let your 9-year-old download TikTok so you can have some peace and quiet, you're setting yourself up for trouble. Keep device time limited and try to keep the apps in use limited as well. Nurture other interests and activities and you might not have to fight the tablet out of your kids' hands.

2. Be honest. If you have concerns about what your kids can see online, that's a conversation to have with your kids. Social media is most pervasive among teens and pre-teens, and those kids are old enough to bring into the discussion about how and why the internet can be problematic. Talk about the trolls and scam artists that concern you. Instead of just saying, "no more phone, that app is bad," talk about why you feel that way.

3. Be realistic. When you find out your kid has a Snapchat account, don't lose your cool. Kids are getting cell phones younger and younger, so it's only a matter of time before your child sees something you've been trying to keep off their radar. You can't trick your kid into thinking these things don't exist, so you need to have boundaries ready when they start asking for a phone/tablet/YouTube channel. Set an age limit, know what parental controls you want to lock in place, and be ready for some tears and begging. Above all, don't ignore the problem because that's not going to make it go away.