There are over 3 billion people on social media worldwide and it has become a must-have in our digital world that is run by technology. Everybody uses social media and if you don’t, you are considered an outcast in society. It seems that discussing children and social media is a touchy subject because a lot of people don’t think that children should be exposed to the world of social media; however, it is natural for children to be curious and have a desire to explore that realm. It is important for parents to guide their children through the process of social media and using their profiles because there are many online predators and dangers. If you are a parent with a child who is curious about social media, here are a few tips on teaching and guiding them.

Be open about everything

As previously mentioned, there are many predators and dangers on the internet and it is important for your child to understand all the dangers that exist. You need to have an open discussion with your child and provide transparency so that they can have access to information and so that you can create a safe space for your child. There is also the issue of harassment and cyberbullying that needs to be discussed with your child. It doesn’t matter which platform they’re on – Facebook, Instagram or even Twitter, bad things can happen anywhere. It might be odd for them to understand and difficult for you to explain that even when you share opinions only with no photo, as on Twitter, danger still exists. But, if you stick with them and have control over what they do on social media, a lot of it can be prevented.

Let’s say your child has a special gift, or maybe a disability, but you feel like there’s so much you have done about it and want to share with the world. You create an account, buy followers from an online service such as Growthoid, and your child instantly becomes an Instagram influencer. Your audience grows quickly, and people start appreciating and learning from what you do – that doesn’t have to be a bad thing just because a child is involved, as long as you dominate over it and you teach your child how to recognize potential danger. Explain to your child that they need to inform you if they are being cyberbullied and that they should not be the ones to cyberbully others. Teach your child about features that allow them to block users and delete and report hateful comments.

Set privacy settings

Social media is an open space so privacy is something that is very important. You need to discuss with your children the default settings and how they can adjust their sharing and location settings on social media. This is very important because again, there are predators online that are up to no good and these predators target young and vulnerable children who overshare on social media. You also need to discuss topics such as identity theft and how passwords are in place to protect users from this. Warn your children never to share their passwords with anybody. It is advisable to go through every single privacy setting with your child and explain them thoroughly.

Teach them limits

You should avoid allowing your child to overindulge in social media and you can do this by putting limits on their social media usage especially during the school week. A great idea is to create a schedule that dictates when your child can use social media and for how long they can be connected. Spending hours scrolling on social media is not healthy for your child and can cause them to start comparing themselves to their peers and even develop an addiction to their phones so setting healthy limits and sticking to them is something that is very important and should be taken very seriously.

Look out for behavioural changes

Social media has a significant impact on the human’s psychological state and children are the most sensitive to this. With online bullying and harassment such a big part of the experience that a lot of children are having on social media, it is important to keep an eye out for any behavioural changes in your child. If your child starts to agonize over how they are treated on social media, you should intervene because cyberbullying and online harassment can impact a child’s self-esteem and self-worth. Your child’s mental and emotional health is the most important thing so you need to monitor their behaviour at all times and create a safe space for them to talk to you about any problems that might arise.

As much as most parents do not want their child to be on social media because of the influence and dangers that exist, we cannot control the fact that social media is a massive part of our global culture and your child will be exposed to it eventually. Now that gaining a bunch of followers has become so easy, remember to be open to your children about everything, set privacy settings, teach them limits and monitor their behaviour when you decide to allow your child into the world of social media.

Social media is a platform that allows users to share content and engage in social networking on various applications and websites. Social media is a massive part of everybody’s lives because it is a great way to stay connected to your loved ones and for businesses, it is a great way to reach your audience. Social media has an impact on our everyday lives and one of the areas that it impacts is parenting. There are many bad things being said about social media but we cannot deny that there are some benefits that it offers parents and using social media can have a positive impact. Here are a few ways that social media can make you a better parent.

You can learn a lot

Social media is not just a place to share the everyday happenings of your life with others, it is also a great place to learn and share valuable and useful information. There is tons of information on social media being shared that can help you become a better parent and social media can provide a lot of different parenting philosophies and advice on how to implement them in your life. It does not matter what you are concerned about or what the topic is, or even what platform you’re using – you can easily find information about it on social media. Social media is also an ideal place for parents to exchange valuable tips and tricks, even on Twitter. There are a lot of parenting communities on Twitter with thousands of followers, where all kinds of information can be found. These Twitter communities grow very quickly, sometimes by buying followers via growth services such as Twesocial, and provide support and education to a massive audience. And you know that parenting is not easy, so having information eases the stress and makes it easier. There are tons of trusted sources on social media that are giving away golden information for free and if you utilize this, you can really improve your parenting.

You can find your community

No matter what your thoughts and opinions are, it is easy to find people in your niche on social media to connect with which is very helpful because it creates a community and a safe space to share information that can benefit us as well as a safe space to share our personal experiences in an environment where we feel understood and not judged. Regardless of the situation in life that you might find yourself in, there is a community that will provide support which is very important, especially for parents because raising a child is overwhelming and can oftentimes be challenging. These communities make parents feel supported and like they are not alone in the daunting world of raising a little human being. Parents can share their stories and experiences that can help other parents which is an important part of having a community on social media.

You can stay in touch

The main reason why people use social media is to stay in touch with their friends and family members because it is a great platform that allows us to do this effectively. Some of us have loved ones that live far away or grandparents who don’t see their grandkids often and social media is the perfect place to share intimate moments with those closest to us. Not having human connections and interactions online and offline makes a lot of people anxious and nervous but social media bridges that gap and keeps us connected and in touch which is important. Social media cannot compare or replace face-to-face interaction however it is a good tool to use to stay in touch with people and 67% of social media users agree and claim that they use it to stay in touch with their friends and family members. If you don’t have the time to meet up with your friends, social media is there to provide social support.

As a parent using social media, there are many advantages. Social media connects you to a community that provides a safe space for you to share your experiences and concerns as a parent and you can connect and learn a lot from other parents and members of your parenting community. If you feel like you have the knowledge or the experience in a certain area, maybe you should start a movement yourself. Provided all available tools and growth services, you can build an influential account in no time. Social media is also a great tool to stay in touch with friends and family members and really makes up for the lack of face-to-face interactions that we are experiencing due to the pandemic. Just remember to protect your child online.

With Summer now in full swing, it’s never been a better time to blast off those winter blues, soak up the summer sunshine, relax and unwind to recharge and regain your energy. With lockdown easing for many parts of the country, options for unwinding are increasing so we’ve compiled and list of 5 ways you can switch off, relax and have fun.

Up first, our pick of the best novels this year. Sometimes it can be hard to get through a chapter of a book, but 2021 has seen the release of some thrilling, engaging novels. Additionally, there are health benefits to picking up a book! According to some studies, it has been shown to physically lower your heart rate and can even help you relax and ease tension in your muscles. Check out websites online to access the latest bestseller lists to select a novel that is right for you.

Even if you are not a fan of reading, have you ever taken yourself to the movies? Now cinemas are open again, it’s the ideal place for a group hang or a self-date. Treat yourself to the movies and some snacks – we guarantee you will enjoy it. If you don’t feel up to going out and would rather chill at home, another option is receiving something through the post for a good old night in. This is also a great way to let your loved ones know that you are thinking of them, or on the flipside – just to treat yourself! Box Sized Hugs offer a wide range of letterbox sized gifts that you can use to treat friends or family, or our personal choice – for ourselves! Their ranges include customisable boxes with everything you need for a cosy night in – self care products, chocolate and much more!

If you fancy something a little bit more active as a treat to yourself – why not check out some interesting exercise classes? Now things are opening much more, more and more gyms are opening their doors to the public so you can try your hand at something new. Again, there is significant evidence that doing exercise will have great health benefits as well as sending endorphins to your brain which make you happy! Our new favourite is yoga classes. Most classes are about an hour long, which means you are not taking too much time out of your day, and you can even squeeze in a coffee afterwards!

If you want to make things a family affair, you simply cannot go wrong with a family trip to the good old British seaside. We have seen some fantastic weather already this year and summer 2021 is looking hopeful! Check the weather the night before and pack up the car early with all of the essentials. Beach towels, picnic and swimming gear and head down south to catch some rays. London to Brighton can take under an hour on a good run – leaving you time to explore the Laines, the pier and obviously – the beach!