If you watch the recent news and see your children or other people's children on social media, you get a good l
ook at what is influencing your child's life.
I was a teacher for 17 years and that was about 15 years ago. The
children in my classes were mostly Middle School age and they weren't so
hard to teach as the children I see making the news and my friends who
are teachers describe.
If I could do it, I would like to come back to
the schools and teach the Random Acts of Kindness lessons (as a
volunteer in the classroom of other teachers.)
I think
this new "me"
generation is greatly affected by Social Media and that it can be a bad
thing for SOME children. I am grieving for children who take their
lives due to bullying. I have spoken about bullying in this blog and since this month is focusing on anti-bullying I will continue to do so. You can read the first article that I wrote about this just 2 years ago
here:
conversationswithcarolyn.blogspot.com/2011/09/stop-school-bullying.html
I'm also surprised at the stories in the news about the effects of Social Media on children today:
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| Image from the Child Study Center |
From the "Anti-Social Networking: How do texting and social media affect our children?" I'd like to point out the following information from their surveys:
How much are kids using media?
- The total amount of media use by youth ages 8 to 18 averages 6-plus hours a day—more than any other activity.
- The amount of use has increased significantly, up from 4-plus hours in the last five years.
- Eighty percent of adolescents possess at least one form of media access.
- There is extensive multi-tasking associated with media use (instant
messaging while doing homework and listening to music on an mp3 player,
for example).
- Of particular concern is the amount of TV kids consume. From 2004 to
2009, television and video use averaged three to five hours per day,
peaking between the ages of 11 and 14, a crucial period for kids' social
development.
- Fifty-four percent of teens send text messages, and one third of teens send more than 100 text messages per day.
- One third talk face-to-face with friends, around the same percentage
that talk on cell phones (38 percent) and land lines (30 percent).
- Twenty-four percent communicate with friends via instant messages.
- Twenty-five percent contact friends via social networking sites.
- Eleven percent use e-mail.
How does media use affect kids' development?
Because texting, instant messaging, and social networking sites like
Facebook are still comparatively new, research is not really available
yet on their long-term effects. But we can extrapolate a certain amount
from research on the effects of TV and video games on children's
development.
- Among preschoolers, more time spent watching TV has been shown to
have a negative impact on attention, academic performance, and
adjustment in elementary school and middle school.
- Increases in media use are associated with reduced grades; only 23
percent of "light" users averaged C's or worse, as compared with 47
percent of "heavy" users.
- Kids who see more TV learn to read later and slower.
Violent and sexual content, in both TV and video games, bring their
own concerns. Increased exposure to violence has been proven to result
in:
- More aggressive behavior
- More aggressive thoughts
- More angry feelings
- Less empathy
- Fewer helping behaviors
- Increases in fear
Furthermore, this content tends to be:
- Unrealistic: in 73 percent of instances there is no punishment, and
only 16 percent of programs show any negative consequences to violent
behavior.
- Frequent in children's programming. Even when kids are watching
"family friendly" shows like "Sponge Bob," there is an average 25 acts
of violence per TV-viewing session.
Sexualized content, which appears frequently in certain video games and often includes sexualized violence, is associated with:
- Poor attitudes towards women
- An increase in rape myth acceptance–"They asked for it."
- Increases in violence against women
In terms of how this information might extend to the use of other social media:
- Participation for long periods of time can have a negative effect on basic cognitive processes.
- Overuse can have a negative impact on attention skills.
- The content of the information can have an effect on emotions and behavior.
Furthermore, the actions that are discussed, encouraged, and
practiced in interactive media are likely to become stronger and more
frequent. If kids practice violent interactions, they are likely to get
better at them; the U.S. Armed Forces uses video games as part of
training for combat.
[...]
What parents can do
There are a number of things parents can and should do to stave off potential negative consequences of social media.
- Learn more about social media, either from your children (they are
digital natives, we are digital immigrants) or by taking a class.
- Except in extreme circumstances, try to find a way to allow your
child to participate in social media. If they say they'll be left out
socially if you restrict their access altogether, they're probably
right.
- Join your child's social networks and "friend" them. While it may
increase parent-child conflict, you need to know the substance of what
your child is saying and doing on these sites and confront them about
inappropriate behavior. Thirty-nine percent of parents report having
friended their teen on a social networking site.
- Teach kids to stop and really think before responding to text messages or comments made on social media.
- Set limits. Use software that turns the computer off after a certain number of hours and/or tracks online activity.
- Get your children's passwords. Again, online privacy from parents is
not an inalienable right. A Facebook page is not a diary, kept under
the bed under lock and key. If friends and friends-of-friends can see
it, Mom and Dad need to be able to as well.
- Don't let kids charge phones or laptops in their bedrooms, and don't
let them have these devices in their rooms overnight. Your teen should
not be on Facebook or replying to text messages instead of sleeping.
- If possible, limit the presence of cell phones and computers in
kids' bedrooms during all hours of the day. Find a place in your home
that is quiet enough for homework, but still public.
- Model good behavior. If you are checking your BlackBerry or iPhone
at the dinner table or on family vacations, how can you expect your
children to unplug? Make time for family time. Surf the Web together,
and share other activities as well.
- If kids go a day (or several) without being online, their world will not come to an end (that goes for you, too).
- Especially for younger kids, play (the kind that doesn't involve
computers) is important. Video games are among the most popular
activities when boys get together, and Facebook and other social
networking sites are popular with girls. Force kids to play outside or
engage in other types of activities if necessary: "You can play the
video game after you've played outside for half an hour."
- Talk with kids about what is and isn't appropriate to post online.
There is definitely such a thing as "oversharing"! Just because kids'
friends are posting certain photos or information doesn't mean it's a
good idea.
- Keep social networking in its place. Make sure your kids eat well,
sleep well, and exercise.Teach and model social skills and empathy.
- Know the content your child is consuming. Watch the YouTube videos,
look at their friends' Facebook page if you have access, play the video
games they play.
- Discuss content viewed online (and this goes for TV, video games,
movies, music videos, etc.). Does it agree with your values? Is it
accurate and/or realistic? How do you think it may affect the behavior
and emotions of people who see it?
- Confront your kids about Facebook or other social media posts you feel are inappropriate, from them or their friends.
- Remind kids not to post photos or content that could help strangers
find them in the real world, such as photos in school uniforms or
displaying school names or logos. Make sure your child limits access to
Facebook pages and other social media to people your child specifically
accepts as "friends," and tell them not to accept friend requests from
strangers.
To read this complete article and another important one, please go to:
I
constantly see children (including one out of 2 of mine who are grown
men now)
come back and thank you for the positive words of encouragement to
them when they were growing up. And then if I were to only watch the
Dr. Phil Show, I would think that all kids and their parents are bad
people in need of his wisdom. I think that when I see them that it's so
great that he's able to impact one life at a time.
What is your feeling about social media impacting children and youth since they were first able to use it? Have you seen the incline of bullying and other problem areas that I see? If not, what do you observe and do you have any suggestions to the rest of my readers as to what you would advise in regard to this topic?
Tomorrow I will continue with this topic. Stay tuned!
Day 12
Companies like Gold Canyon are offering special products that a portion of the proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation – making what would be an ordinary purchase, extraordinary. Deborah, of Deborah’s Fragrant Memories has a personal connection with breast cancer and has made a personal goal to sell 40 of the Gold Canyon Breast Cancer Tribute Candles during the month of October to honor the memory of her friend, Trish. Check out the full story over at Savory Savings and find out why Deborah wants to reach this goal!
