Why I Am Talking To My 10 Year Old About FaceBook!
Technology is incredible and totally terrifying at the same time.
As an adult, I have the mental capacity to make decisions about how technology and the internet impact my life.
In order to be fully transparent, I have not always made great decisions, but I have the ability to make them.
My 10 year old, on the other hand, does not have the ability to make the same decisions (at least not yet). Don't get me wrong! She is incredibly bright and gifted, but she is just 10 years old.
She has grown up using iPads and watching other people do the same. She is much more capable of navigating electronic devices than I was at her age, but she is just 10 years old.
I still have 3 more years before she reaches the "13 year old" mark that FaceBook requires to set up an account.
But if I wait that long to start talking with her about social media, then I have already lost the battle. And parents it is a battle!
I want to share some highlights from my conversation with her yesterday.
I told her that Daddy, not FaceBook, decides how old she should be before using social media.
That is not the coolest thing to say, but then I explained why. There are bad people on the internet who try to take advantage of other people, and I don't want her to be one of them.
I told her that she will be smart enough to create a hidden FaceBook account, and I would never be able to find out about it.
So I asked her to be open with me, even when she thinks she might disappoint me. When she tells her friends that she is not allowed to have a FaceBook account, it is possible that some of her friends might offer to help her set an account up. I am not naive, so I don't want her to be either!
I told her that my rules are in place to protect her.
I have also taught her how to exit a burning building, how to check both ways before crossing the street, how to poke her fingers into someone's eyes if they try to abduct her, and several other important life lessons. My rules are for her safety, both in the "real" world and the digital world.
I explained how social media is addictive
I have already had my "drugs and alcohol" talk with her. She was surprised to hear that your brain interprets FaceBook likes and Steemit upvotes in a similar way to drugs and alcohol. They all give us a high and then we need more to maintain the high!
My plea for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other responsible adults is to start talking with your kids, grandkids, and your friends' kids now so that they can operate safely in our internet-driven world.
I am amazed by technology, but it terrifies me (especially as a Dad)!
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Great post! You're starting to make this a habit my friend!! :) Keep it up!
@orionschariot, thanks for the encouragement. I have been off for a few days, but I hope to write some new articles soon based on some new things I am learning. I appreciate your support and kind words.
It think the approach should be mastering technology and learning how to use it in a proper way , rather than avoiding it because of fear of the potential risk
While this might help raise people who stop and think before adopting a new technology , i think it also has the potential to harm society by making people afraid of technology and making them missing on their benefits
Life is about taking calculated risks , nothing will be ever 100% safe
Valid point! Thanks for commenting.
I find great value in technology, and you are correct it is something that can not be avoided. More than anything I want to take an active role in helping my children learn/use/master technology instead of it controlling them.
Thanks again for adding to the conversation.
This is exactly the kind of thing I wanted to see when I made the #steemdads tag!
Great job teaching your daughter about the dangers of social media. It's a crazy world out there, and sometime parents have to be "uncool" to keep their children safe.
Upvoted and following. I'll also be featuring this in a #steemdads & #steemmoms promotion post!
@thatsweeneyguy, thanks for the comment and encouragement. Glad we are making these connections on Steemit. Thanks for the upovte, follow, and feel free to feature my parenting related posts.
Let's keep working together to make a difference.
Here's your SteemDads Badge! Thank you :)
Other's who want a badge (Homesteading, Gardening, Beekeepers, Woodworkers, Dads, Moms, Food Preservers) please submit $1SBD to @daddykirbs with a memo stating what it is for :)
@daddykirbs, it looks great. Thank you so much. I will use it for my next post.
You are very welcome. I appreciate your patronage ;)
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