Saturday, December 13, 2014

Myths about Social Media and Young People

A large percentage of the population seems to think that social media is one of the worst things that has happened to the younger generation. You may cringe when your child sends tweets or has to update their Facebook page constantly, but have you really figured out what you don't like about these actions? Do you hate social media just because other parents do? There are several myths about the impact social media has on young people, but if you really think about these myths, you realize that maybe your concern and disapproval is unwarranted.
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Teens are Addicted to Social Media
Addiction is such a strong world. No wonder teens roll their eyes when parents play the addiction card because they are educated enough to know what addiction actually is. Addiction is compulsive and harmful. Although teens often lose track of time and spend a great deal of time on social media, would they really be doing something more productive otherwise?

Social Media Creates Social Isolation
This does not even make sense. Social media allows people to interact when they otherwise might not. When you look at a teen on their tablet or computer, you may assume they are socially isolated, but in all fairness they are likely using the site to overcome socialization. You probably sat on the phone for hours after school talking about absolutely nothing. Is this really so different?

Teens Have No Idea What's Happening in the World Because They Are Busy on Social Media
Your child probably knows more about local, national, and international crisis than you do. Quite often, you can find out about a breaking story or tragic event on Facebook faster than the news channels release the story. Besides, they just have to look at the trending topics to know what stories are important.

Social Media Causes Control Obsession
If you think you have a controlling teen it has nothing to do with social media. Are you sure that they don't feel so out-of-control that they feel the need to act powerful? How many decisions do you let them make on their own? Parents tend to guide decisions towards the favorable outcome they desire. Social media is one thing they can actually control. Give them more freedom to make decisions. They have been bugging to remodel, why not let them? If they are like most other kids their age, they have probably been begging for a beanbag for their room. You think they want one of these chairs to sit in to play video games. In all actuality, these are the best chairs to sit in for hours to study. Kid bean bag chairs are available online at stores like Pro Home Stores.

Bullying is a Problem on Social Media
Bullying is a problem everywhere. Cyberbullying is a lot less common than what they may deal with in school. They control who they are friends with, so they can block the bullies and be "surrounded" by people they trust.





1 comments:

Chubskulit Rose said...

I agree on most of these opinions! It's just a little scary sometimes to let them "babad" in social media.