There have been quite a few news stories that have shown the consequences of social media. Your tween is entering the age where social pressures placed on them are enormous and the consequences of one mistake follow your tween for the rest of their lives. Thus, it is important to define some rules about social media. But more than that, you need to get your tween to start thinking about the things that they post. In this regard, you should take these news stories and ask one very important question to start the conversation. How would you feel if this happened to you? This question should open up the conversation about what gets posted or tweeted. You may have to address this topic several times or more to reinforce these concepts.
“Think before you post” is a good rule to start with. There are a lot of things that get posted without much thought by adults. Establishing this rule early will help your tween get into the habit. There is this temptation to post every thought immediately. By establishing the habit, your tween gets a precious moment to think about the consequences of what they are saying. It might lead them to a better post or a more positive post if they think about how their posting is going to affect the people who read it.
Another really good thing to talk about is the lifespan of a posting or tweet. It is critical to stress that things on the Internet stay there forever. It will follow them. Talk about what kind of impression they want to make with their postings. Talk about what kind of legacy that they want following them into their work careers. There is no keeping a secret once it makes it online. It is critical to establish the fact that there are more consequences than just the inconvenience of taking away a phone if they mess up.
Keep open the lines of communication and don’t be afraid to discuss news stories to get the point across. You don’t have to share every sordid detail. But you should keep in mind the message you are trying to get across. This is why the question is so important. It shifts the conversation from this unknown entity and brings it closer to home. This makes it more relevant to your tween.
This is the day and age where everything is posted. This is also the age where there are truly no secrets. The consequences of mistakes can follow your tween for a very long time. So, it is important to install some kind of thought process about what they post. That way, they’re thinking about what it is they are saying. This will make them more careful about what they post.