A parent’s guide to social media
Adrienne Wichard-edds explains five ways parents can help kids balance social media with the real world.
My children frequently challenge my decisions about technology. Apparently, I’m the ‘‘only one’’ who checks my kids’ cellphones (I’m not) and the ‘‘only one’’ who won’t let my not-yet13-year-old get Snapchat (also, not).
I might be the only one, though, who asks my kids to put cellphones away when they’re in the car. Am I being too restrictive? Too permissive? Should I not have given them phones?
According to a 2015 report from Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of nine hours a day consuming online entertainment. According to a less scientific study I’ve conducted in my own household, this can make them feel cranky, entitled, left out and jealous.
But it can also provide access to loads of music, fun activities, TED talks and cute puppy videos, while allowing them to keep in touch with friends and plan in-real-life gatherings where – I assume – everyone will be on their phones.
In search of advice on how to parent teens whose social lives hinge on a click, I turned to Ana Homayoun, a Silicon Valley-based expert on teen behaviour. Her book Social Media Wellness: Helping Tweens and Teens Thrive in an Unbalanced Digital World comes out next month.
Homayoun acknowledges that even social-media-savvy parents may be missing the mark when it comes to guiding kids’ online interactions.
Instead of scaring our kids or monitoring them 24/7, she says, we should focus on healthy socialisation, effective selfregulation and safety. ‘‘We need to help kids make better choices intrinsically,’’ says Homayoun. ‘‘Give them freedom and responsibility, but with bumper lanes.’’
But how can parents instil those values in kids in a world where tech trends evolve far more quickly than our parenting skills? Homayoun shared five tips to help parents cultivate social media wellness for their kids, regardless of the current trends.
Check your kid’s phone
‘‘Kids should know that parents can ask for their phones at any point and be allowed full access,’’ Homayoun says.
While some parents take a more hands-off approach because, they say, they want to respect their kids’ privacy, it’s important to make the distinction between privacy and safety.
‘‘Twenty-four-hour access doesn’t mean 24-hour snooping,’’ she says. ‘‘It means that a parent is still responsible for monitoring what a minor does online.’’
And it’s not just what they put out there, it’s also what they’re receiving. ‘‘If you find something you don’t like, talk to your kid about why you find it inappropriate – and then ask them what they think. Once they verbalise their thoughts, it allows them the opportunity to think things through and come up with their own set of values.’’
Be app-savvy
‘‘If your kid is on it, you should be, too,’’ Homayoun says of apps and social media platforms.
‘‘You don’t have to have an account, but at least try it out so you can have informed conversations about it. If your kids know that you understand the social media they’re using, they’re more likely to come to you to talk about issues that pop up.’’
And when those issues do pop up, Homayoun suggests helping your kids come up with a crisis communications team of three ‘‘support people’’ and three ‘‘clarifiers’’ to help them deal with the problem.
Help kids understand ’why’
Inspire kids to act out of internal motivation instead of fear, Homayoun says, by helping them build their own filter.
‘‘Encourage your kids to ask themselves ‘Why am I picking up my phone? Am I bored, am I lonely, am I sad? Am I just uncomfortable because I’m in a room where I don’t know anyone?’ Or ‘Why am I posting this? Does spending time on this app make me feel energised or drained?’ ‘‘ she says.
Asking themselves ‘‘why’’ also slows down impulsive online communications, and encourages kids to make smarter choices.
Set ground rules
Talk to your kids about appropriate social media use before you give them a phone or allow them to download a new app, says Homayoun. ‘‘Once you hand it over, they’ll be too excited to focus on your instructions.’’
Clearly state rules and expectations, and stick with them as much as possible. In our family, this includes not putting anything online that you wouldn’t want your friends’ parents to read (because several of them will); getting permission before downloading a new app; and checking phones into my office at bedtime.
Digital detox
‘‘Give kids a budget to plan their own screen-free adventures – don’t just say, ‘Okay, kids, get offline and come do some chores,’ ‘‘ Homayoun says.
She also points out that kids need to learn how to be OK with being offline. Parents can start by modelling that behaviour: No phones at the dinner table, for example, or no checking texts while you’re talking with your kid.
And while most kids won’t admit it to their parents, an enforced break from technology could be just what they need. ‘‘When parents put restrictions on how much and when kids can use technology, it can be a relief.’’ – Washington Post
The more television viewing options there are, the better for Kiwi TV fans.
huge demand for free-to-air television shows.
This leads to the second factor – a lot of advertisers still value TV audiences and since they can’t use Netflix to show their ads, they still need traditional broadcasters.
Also, there are hundreds of shows produced each year, and Netflix can’t buy or make them all.
Kiwis get a good deal from TVNZ and TV3 – they both show programmes for free that other viewers around the world have to pay for.
And while some people complain about the quality of shows and number of ads on traditional TV, we are much better off if they stick around. The more television viewing options there are, the better for Kiwi TV fans.
But that doesn’t mean everyone will survive. Is there room for several traditional broadcasters in New Zealand? What about five subscription streaming services (Netflix, Lightbox, Neon, Quickflix and Amazon Prime Video)?
And more competition is on the way. The next big shift is going to come from the tech giants.
Facebook, Google (via Youtube) and Apple have announced they will be making shows and streaming them on their platforms.
TVNZ should probably be worried about these three more than Netflix, which is a pipsqueak in comparison.