Paying Attention to Teens’ Online Behavior

Sometimes, it can be hard to keep up with social media and what your kids are seeing online. There are constantly new trends and new social media platforms that change right as you are getting caught up. Even though it can be a challenge, young people need online supervision. When teens know their parents are not tech-savvy or know they do not have social media accounts, they are more likely to make poor choices online. When they know their parents are watching, they will be more careful about what they post and who they interact with.

Aside from concerns about what your teen may be posting, you have to also take into consideration the images they are being exposed to. Many children and teens can get the impression that they need to look a certain way to be happy. They may not even realize the impact of what they are viewing online is having on their self-esteem. Another important thing to note is this does not just apply to young girls. Boys can have the same pressure that girls do with body image and expectations. Also, for both boys and girls, social media ideals can give a false sense of what love and a relationship look like. This can lead to unrealistic expectations of their future partners, and ultimately leaving unhappiness and loneliness.

As a parent, consider creating an account on every platform your kids use, connect with them on it and monitor them. This means if you see activity that is alarming to you, talk to them about it. Also, talk with them about body image and how online content is unrealistic sometimes. Tying into that, talk to them about relationships, give them a positive and fair outlook on relationships and love and that is more accurate than what they see online.