Hear From Kids: The #1 Safety Issue Overlooked By Parents🎥

We assembled a group of teen and young adult experts to dive deeper into the topics that they feel parents need to prioritize discussing with their kids, because who better to hear it from, than kids themselves?

Here are 5 key topics that young adults feel that parents often forget to prepare their kids for:

1. You will stumble upon bad, or even untrue news
• There are a breadth of news platforms on social media, often with conflicting information. Spend time discussing which ones should your children pay attention to, and which ones they should disregard. 
2. There’s going to be an negative information
• According to this video by the AAP, “Social media can expose you to content that is violent, dangerous, or inaccurate.” Navigate how your child should be using social media, what types of content are appropriate, and remember that not all new information will have a negative impact on them.
3. They may receive unwanted direct messages from strangers
• Make sure your child is aware of online predators and scammers so that they can identify and block strangers who message them.
4. Social media can encourage a negative self image
• According to this video by the AAP, “As humans, it’s normal that we compare ourselves to others, but in this online environment, there’s so many more opportunities to do that.” Children and teens who are just coming into their self-esteem may be more vulnerable and prolonged exposure to unattainable body standards can manifest into poor eating habits.
5. No matter how many restrictions you set, your child could still come across dangerous content online
• Maintain open conversations about online safety with your child so that they are comfortable coming to you and asking questions.

Exploring the internet with your child will help you navigate what information they’re ready to learn and what information you’re ready to teach.