Q: What is the effect of social media on families? It seems like kids these days are glued to their gadgets; should parents be worried?
The younger generation is often portrayed in a negative light for being too engrossed by social media. While this makes for a good headline, it’s not entirely accurate, nor is it fair. First off, every generation of children has interests that fascinate them but are misunderstood by their elders.
Furthermore, given that society and business pretty much revolve around social media, it’s unfair to single out children when it’s a global consumption. Lastly, when it comes to kids and families, social media isn’t entirely evil. In fact, social media plays an important role in the lives of kids and parents alike.
Finding Acceptance
All parents worry about what their kids are doing and whether they’re being good parents. It’s very easy for parents to feel alone, especially if they fear their kids are in trouble. This is one area where social media truly helps parents.
Sites like Café Mom allow parents to share their stories with others and get honest feedback from other parents who have been in similar situations. Parents not only learn how to better understand their children, but they also have an idea of how they can behave in order to best handle the situation.
On a different scale, the reaches of the Internet can help comfort kids who are outcast from society. The Internet has message boards, forums and chat rooms for any conceivable topic, allowing even the most unique child to be understood and accepted. Every teen feels isolated to some degree, but these forums help show kids that even if they don’t fit in at school, at least they fit in somewhere.
Information Overload
Though social media can help to bridge the gaps between individuals, it’s not the two-way communication derived from an actual real-life conversation with a friend. However, the ever-changing, constantly updated paradigm of social media is attractive to...