Families For Life | Your child's first social media account
In today’s age of social media, it’s natural for your child to be drawn to it, and they may even want to create their own accounts. But the real question is: are they ready?
While children under 13 shouldn’t have access to social media services, readiness goes beyond age. Social media can help your child stay connected with family and friends, explore new learning opportunities, and express their creativity. At the same time, without proper guidance and support, it can also have serious negative effects.
Here’s how to assess if your child is ready for social media:
They can manage their time and balance social media with other activities
They follow offline rules, such as completing chores and homework, which indicates they can follow rules for social media use as well
They can assess whether someone is trustworthy
They understand their online behaviour can impact their real life
They have a relatively healthy sense of self-esteem
If your child ticks all the boxes, they’re likely ready. If so, here’s how you can help them navigate social media responsibly.
Know the platform first
If you’re unfamiliar with a platform, try it out yourself first to assess its suitability and potential risks. If it seems unsuitable, discuss it with your child and suggest alternative options.
Protect online privacy
Your child might not fully understand the risks of sharing personal information online. It’s helpful to set their profiles to private and talk about what they should and shouldn’t share. Teach them how to recognise suspicious behaviour and guide them to only accept friend requests from people they know.
Set rules
Even adults can fall prey to phishing or scams, so setting clear rules is important. For example, your child should never meet online friends without parental approval and should show you the profiles of people they don’t know before accepting requests.
It’s also useful to establish time limits, as it’s easy to lose track of time on social media. Giving a five-minute heads-up before their time is up can help them switch off more easily.
Turn on parental controls
While it’s good to let your child explore the space independently, it’s still important to keep an eye on their usage. Activate safety features or parental controls so they’re protected from inappropriate content, accidental purchases, or interactions that aren’t meant for them. This gives them the freedom to learn and play, while giving you peace of mind.
Check in regularly
Create a safe space for your child to share their online experiences with you. Pay attention to their emotions and notice if anything they see online seems to be affecting them negatively. If it is, step in gently and talk it through, reassure them, and help them understand what they’ve encountered. This builds trust and teaches them how to navigate the online world with confidence.
At the end of the day, guiding your child through the digital world is an ongoing process. Encourage open conversations, and if you notice that social media is having a negative impact, suggest taking a break from it. Remember, being present and supportive is the best way to help your child navigate the social media space safely!
Resources:
https://www.familiesforlife.sg/media/getdocument/IMDA%20DfL_What%20you%20need%20to%20know%20to%20decide%20if%20your%20child%20is%20ready%20for%20social%20media.pdf?filepath=FFLPGuide%2fdb85ae1c-3bef-4672-8435-2211979215bb%2fIMDA+DfL_What+you+need+to+know+to+decide+if+your+child+is+ready+for+social+media.pdf
https://www.familiesforlife.sg/media/getdocument/IMDA%20DfLWhat%20you%20need%20to%20know%20about%20your%20childs%20first%20social%20media%20account.pdf?filepath=FFLPGuide%2f473001a0-0153-486f-84e7-86514077a9a4%2fIMDA+DfLWhat+you+need+to+know+about+your+childs+first+social+media+account.pdf
https://parentingforwellness.hpb.gov.sg/Module-9/Topic-9A/Determining-if-your-child-is-ready-for-social-media