-Jenkins
Everything in Moderation: Including Moderation
Unless a family is living off the grid completely, social media can be difficult to ignore. It’s become so ubiquitous that parents have begun to concede that every child is going to experience social media in at least some capacity.
While it’s tempting, cutting them off completely could have negative implications on their social lives. According to Cleveland Clinic, “Social media can have a positive effect on your child like helping them learn how to communicate with others, navigate relationships and how to manage somebody who isn’t being kind to them. So, no social media at all might not be the best (or realistic) solution for your kids.”
Many parents may wish that the social media phenomenon never happened, but it cannot be denied. The best approach for a parent is to prepare their children to use social media responsibly.
Most adults know that social media can be dangerous. Children, however, are thrown into the digital age without much say in their experience. No matter how responsible a kid might be, there are nefarious people on social media sites that like to make life harder for others. Some people who abuse social media bully, harass, and even stalk individuals who are unaware of (or insufficiently trained in) internet safety.
Children need a place where they can feel free to speak without judgment. They also deserve a social media site that ensures no one outside of their family or family friends can find them. Heiroom provides the social media experience that can help families teach children (and sometimes parents) the responsibility needed to participate in social media, without the same risk that naturally comes from websites that allow people to connect with anyone around the globe.
We Take Child Safety Seriously
Heiroom is a safe and comfortable online platform where children and family can interact positively. Kids can communicate with family members without risk of being contacted by anyone outside of the family. As long as a parent is properly managing their child’s accounts, there is no risk of a child meeting a stranger.
Not only does Heiroom help children escape some of the risks of interacting with strangers online, it also helps children learn good social media behavior. They have an opportunity to learn, grow and interact with others in a way that is positive and engaging.
Conversations that Need to Happen
Heiroom is a great place to have a social media conversation because it allows for mistakes to happen without the risk of hurting a child’s well-being. “If your child is currently on social media or if they’ve been asking to join, it’s important to talk to them about what social media is, what rules you have for it and how it doesn’t always show an accurate picture of someone’s life” (Cleveland Clinic). Parents can’t ignore their children’s interest in social media, but they can use Heiroom to create a learning environment where both the child and parent can feel confident in themselves.
Heiroom provides a space for children and parents to test the waters. In the case of social media, rules are needed not to restrict but to protect children. Most adults don’t need restrictions besides what they put on themselves, but kids can suffer if their parents don't show them how to navigate virtual interactions.
How much time should a child be allowed to spend on social media? What kind of language should children be using online? What kind of information should they be allowed to share? There is no one answer to those questions. Each of those questions has to be answered by those who care about the child the most.
They May Want to Join Sooner Than You Think
Many parents started social media in their teenage years or later. Studies show kids are looking to start social media younger than ever. “Most social media apps require users to be at least 13 years old. But in a recent poll, parents shared that 50% of children 10 to 12 years old and 33% of children 7 to 9 years old use social media apps,” (Cleveland Clinic). Allowing children of such young ages to participate in social media is not okay if they aren’t participating in healthy ways.
The mission is to keep the family safe. If a child shows interest in becoming social online, it is the parent’s responsibility to lead them in the right direction. Heiroom strives to engender that positive learning experience. Families can feel free to let their 8 or 9-year-olds have conversations because they can only communicate with people they know in real life. If a child disagrees with a family member, then it is a good opportunity for everyone to learn a lesson without the influence of outsiders that may not even know your child’s middle name.
What Heiroom Won’t Do
Heiroom won’t monitor children’s actions. Heiroom won’t use any of the family’s information as data to sell. We believe that a child’s safety should never be at risk while using Heiroom…and we are continuously striving to see to that commitment.
Parents can now choose Heiroom as the one and only social media platform for their young children. Sure, one day Junior will want to stream video games and may even sign up on a dating site (sorry; we went there)--but today is not that day.
If the kids want to be on social media, let them. Give them a safe opportunity to connect with their family and form bonds that can last forever.
