Too often, parents who are misinformed about today’s social networking sites (such as Facebook and MySpace) will simply prohibit their kids from logging on to them. Unfortunately, most kids will do it anyway, so the best thing parents can do is education themselves about the benefits and dangers on online social networking.
"If [parents] engage and have their own experiences on Facebook, LinkedIn, [etc], they will better understand the attraction, the possibilities, and the issues that their teenagers face," said Sue Blaney, author, speaker and teen parenting blogger at PleaseStopTheRollercoaster.com.” [Source: Mashable]
Blaney goes on to suggest that parents guide their teenagers through the process of creating privacy settings on social networking sites. If there are things you don’t understand about a certain site, ask your teenager, he’s probably an expert -- and asking for his help shows that you recognize and appreciate his level of expertise.
Of course, permitting children to use the Internet and social media sites isn't the same as allowing them unfettered access to the online world. Responsible parents should work with their children to develop realistic plans to limit and supervise children's use of computers and other technology.
Posted By: Aspen Education Group