Impact of Social Media on Kids Below Thirteen
Kids below 13
Impact of social media
Almost everybody we know has his or her social media account.
Whether it be in Facebook, in Twitter, in Tumblr or maybe in all. Social media
has become more accessible to us, as mobile phones have become more advanced in
technology and other gadgets like tablets have become more widely used. It has
also become a phenomenon even to the younger generations, even the ones who are
not yet in their teens. I know many children who own multiple social media
accounts and who are very active in the online world.
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Negative
Impacts
These negative impacts can be seen in various aspects.
· Physical Aspect
First
would be physically. Kids tend to spend too much time in front of the computer
or using their phones, usually amounting to hours that they neglect their
bodies’ physical activeness. The time that should have been used for engaging
in physical activities such as sports and exercises has become an idle time to
sit in a chair or lie on the bed for hours while sending instant messages to
their friends or just browsing through other people’s profiles. The physical
inactivity may cause health problems for kids especially to those who grew up
when social media is already at large.
· Social Aspect
Their
games are limited to the downloadable games in the internet wherein their
playmates can be miles away from them and their communication is limited to
instant messages or profile statuses in order to be updated in each other
lives. This is where the second aspect comes into the light: the social aspect.
Though
the purpose of social media is to broaden communication for people who are far
away from each other and to maintain contact despite the distance, it seems
that too much of it has limited the social capability of children. They tend to
prefer talking to their friends through messaging rather than face-to-face
contact. In addition, through social media, they may suffer from cyber bullying
from anonymous people who may affect them psychologically and behaviourally.
· Mental Aspect
Another aspect
to look at is their mental capabilities. Studies have revealed that too much
exposure to social media has lowered the academic performance of children. Some
kids were also found to be less receptive to new things and are slower in
reading and processing things. Studies have also revealed that kids who are
more active in the social media undergo behavior or attitude changes. Some kids
tend to present behaviors that are more aggressive and have more angry
feelings. They are also considered to be less empathetic towards other people
and have fewer helping behaviors.
It
is important to consider these impacts before children are allowed to be
involved in social media. Though it may seem inevitable for them to be
involved, parents or adults can impose regulations in their usage. Parents may
impose a time limit on internet usage and can also approve the creation of a
social media account provided that they can monitor what their children read
and see. This is very important as children still have poor skills of judgement
and wrong exposure can affect their personality and character as they grow up.
It's so important to consider all the implications of social media before your kids make an account. It can be a great way to connect but it has drawbacks too.
ReplyDeleteI think no matter what, supervision is a must and a definite time limit. It can easily get out of hand.
ReplyDeleteGreat information here for parents of little ones. You need to be on top of things when your kids are very young. I am really glad that my kids were out of high school before social media became a thing.
ReplyDeleteWe do not allow our kids to have social media accounts until they are much older. We also force our kids to get plenty of outdoor time with their family and friends. I think too many kids today stay behind screens too much so we really try to limit ours - unless they are sick.
ReplyDeleteYou make some important points here regarding children with tech devices.
ReplyDeleteI suspect this topic would be a hot debate area for years to come.
Some kids have no filters. some parents have no filters for that matter. It is important to monitor their social media use and availability!
ReplyDeleteI will not let my younger kids on social media. I think it is too young for them to be on there. Amber N
ReplyDeleteThankfully my kids do not know how to get on the internet yet. We do have parental controls on many of our electronics, just not ready to open up the dangers of the internet with them anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteI really try and monitor how much time my kids are online period! Whether it's social media or just playing games on the computer. I'd much prefer them to be outdoors enjoying the sunshine. We really don't pay attention to the impact that the internet have over our kids and we should be aware.
ReplyDeleteGreat information here! I never thought about kids so young being on social media, but I guess it happens. I think I would like mine to wait until they are at least in high school. Maybe that's unrealistic, who knows?
ReplyDeleteMy kids are both teens and they are on the Internet a lot. With my son especially, I have to remind him to go outside and get moving.
ReplyDeleteSocial media has become an revolution that many use it as a platform to even communicate with family members who live with them or near by. I agree with the negative aspects this could make with kids, but at the end of the day we need to guide them to use it in a better way.
ReplyDeleteugggg its insane to think about kids and social media!! i still have a few years before i have to worry about this stuff with my daughter, but you best believe i will be supervising when the time does come!
ReplyDelete