Sharing Good Practice
The top four excuses parents give
for not engaging with social media
By Simon Noakes
consumers of information. A child
under the age of 12 has never known
a world without Facebook. Parents
have had to adjust to this huge shift
in managing their already busy lives.
Parenting requires preparing our
children for 'real world' experiences.
This doesn't mean that we need to be
active on every social media channel
our child is on. We however, need to
make the time to understand it.
The platform does not make
sense
The doubling of computer processing
speed every 18 months, known as
Moore's Law, is making devices
smaller and more powerful. With new
platforms popping up everyday, the
entire process can become incredibly
overwhelming. It can create a feeling
of hopelessness in parents who are
trying to learn, adapt and succeed
with their smart devices let alone new
social media platforms!
T
oday, social media changes
at a rapid pace. One moment
a certain platform is really
popular, in another, it falls into
obscurity.
While some parents remain resistant
to exploring social media, their
children are digital natives, who are
expertly navigating the various online
platforms. Millennials are making their
own rules, and parents are being left
behind.
There are a number of reasons that
parents share for being resistant. But
are these justifiable reasons, or just
excuses to avoid the inevitable change
that every generation needs to tackle
head-on?
Parents are scared of change
Some adults tend to view change
negatively. We prefer the comfort of
routine and seldom strive to challenge
the 'status quo'. However, is that
what our 13-year old self would do?
Importantly, is that what we want our
children to adopt as their standard
position?
Of course not!
According to Danah Boyd’s It’s
Complicated: The Social Lives of
Networked Teens, “Media culture
exaggerates this dynamic, magnifying
anxieties and reinforcing fears. For
adults to hear the voices of youth,
they must let go of their nostalgia and
suspend their fears. This is not easy.”
Change can be good and takes time.
Schools can be more active in helping
parents to understand that effective use
of social media can enhance academic
and social development. Admittedly,
some schools have focused on
'online safety' talks. However, a more
personalised approach is required
in fully understanding the impact of
social media on students.
Parents do not have the time
Millennials
generation.
are
an
They are
on-demand
very visual
‘Millennials don’t try to analyse
how things are different because of
technology; they simply try to relate
to a public world in which technology
is a given. Because of their social
position, what’s novel for teens is not
the technology but the public life that
it enables.’ – Danah Boyd
Parents are not interested
Yes, parents do lead busy lives, but
they also need to take an active
interest in their children’s online
activities. Let your chi ldren teach you
about Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest,
Twitter, Periscope and Vine. This is a
good way to learn what their interests
are and to bolster your relationship
with them. Help them to understand
privacy issues, dealing with Internet
trolls and being responsible online
users.
It is time for parents to stop making
excuses about why they resist social
media. The world has changed. We
have to keep pace with the changes in
technology and what our children are
consuming online.
Tweet Simon @SimonNoakes
Class Time
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May - Jun 2016
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