SOCIAL MEDIA IS A GREAT
RESOURCE THAT CAN BE A LOT OF FUN WHEN USED CORRECTLY
Juanita agrees that the anonymity of
online comments can cause children to be reckless about what they post. “It sounds so easy to just tell them that once you put it out there, anyone can take it and twist it any way they want,” she says. “Te problem is, because they’re children and because they’re teenagers, they don’t believe you.” In truth, inappropriate jokes and comments can go so far as to get your children in trouble with the law—and cyber bullying is no exception. New legislation that was signed into Florida law in 2013 states that schools can take action against students participating in cyber bullying even if it takes place off school grounds, resulting in serious consequences for them. “[Schools] can investigate it, they can get involved, they can call in law enforcement—they can do whatever they need to do,” Stacy says. Above all, cyber bullying can carry serious consequences against its victims, who, in some cases, may begin to feel isolated, depressed or even suicidal. For this reason, Stacy advises all parents to educate themselves about cyber
bullying and discuss its dangers with their children—tell them not to post anything online that they would not want posted about themselves. “We need to be teaching our kids to not be mean to one another, because it does lead to bullying.”
Te complexity of teaching your
children about online safety can be overwhelming. Tat is why some parents, like Liz Elizondo, are opting to wait until they feel their children are mature enough for social media before allowing them to set up online accounts. Liz has four children, ages 3 to 10, and her oldest, Emma, has asked her about Facebook— but Liz is holding off. “A lot of her friends do have different accounts, [but] we told her that we will just let her know when we think she’s ready.” Liz adds that some of her friends who let their children join Facebook too young have since regretted it. “Tere’s no huge rush to get them on social media. Tey’ll be exposed to it at some point anyway, so I’m not going to really initiate anything unless there’s a huge need for it.”
Parents should be cautious when it
comes to social media. Waiting until you feel your children are mature enough for Internet responsibility before signing them up online may be the way to go. Regardless of age, social media is a great resource that can be a lot of fun when used correctly. By teaching your children how to use social media safely, you—and they—can join in the fun with peace of mind.
8 | Family!
HERITAGE PUBLISHING, INC. © 2014
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