Social Media and Other Challenges in Raising Teenage Girls
Today there are many of the same challenges of raising teenage girls that existed for prior generations, but there are also many new issues as well.
Thankfully some of the same tools used to destroy the self-image and confidence of adolescent girls (and boys) can be used as weapons in the fight against bullying, intimidation, and coercion.
Consider how the following social technologies / tools might be turned from negative reinforcing tools to positive ones.
Dangers of Social Media for Children Social media is one of the most dangerous places for at-risk children to be on the web.
Children (and adults) with bad intentions are still quite capable of using the anonymity provided by all of the major social media platforms to inflict harm.
Even though companies such as Facebook and Google have made great efforts to isolate bad people and reduce the number of fake accounts accessing their services they have only done so with very limited success.
Children can be subjected to terrible bullying and (worse) attacks by people (peers and adults) who simple demonstrate no conscience whatsoever.
Protecting Your Child by Making Them Feel Powerful On the other hand it is possible to make online networking into a powerful source of self-esteem by putting your child in a position of power of control over some aspect of their online presence.
They can create a page of their own (perhaps let them admin your family's page) with the parent as co-administrator and invite only their friends to participate on it.
Surrounding your child with trusted friends and family who engage with them consistently is the most-powerful way to protect your child online.
Advanced projects might include helping your child start their own blog or social media website where they again can exert considerable control as to who is allowed to join and participate.
Building Confidence Identifying with Success One of the hardest lessons a child learns is the relative differences in resources and abilities of their peers.
Kids from wealthy families typically will have better access (in terms of both time and money) to help their sons and daughters learn and grow.
Helping your child to identify with their own successes while artfully balancing the ability to appreciate the efforts of others is among the hardest outcomes to achieve.
Helping your child understand how available resources many times dictate outcomes is one factor to consider.
Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Do the best you can, with what you have, where you are," - which speaks to the importance of understanding the limits of your own circumstances.
Meanwhile a parent needs to be able to identify their daughter's strengths and build on them so they will be better prepared psychologically to face the pressures that inevitably come from our innately (and unfairly) competitive culture.
Thankfully some of the same tools used to destroy the self-image and confidence of adolescent girls (and boys) can be used as weapons in the fight against bullying, intimidation, and coercion.
Consider how the following social technologies / tools might be turned from negative reinforcing tools to positive ones.
Dangers of Social Media for Children Social media is one of the most dangerous places for at-risk children to be on the web.
Children (and adults) with bad intentions are still quite capable of using the anonymity provided by all of the major social media platforms to inflict harm.
Even though companies such as Facebook and Google have made great efforts to isolate bad people and reduce the number of fake accounts accessing their services they have only done so with very limited success.
Children can be subjected to terrible bullying and (worse) attacks by people (peers and adults) who simple demonstrate no conscience whatsoever.
Protecting Your Child by Making Them Feel Powerful On the other hand it is possible to make online networking into a powerful source of self-esteem by putting your child in a position of power of control over some aspect of their online presence.
They can create a page of their own (perhaps let them admin your family's page) with the parent as co-administrator and invite only their friends to participate on it.
Surrounding your child with trusted friends and family who engage with them consistently is the most-powerful way to protect your child online.
Advanced projects might include helping your child start their own blog or social media website where they again can exert considerable control as to who is allowed to join and participate.
Building Confidence Identifying with Success One of the hardest lessons a child learns is the relative differences in resources and abilities of their peers.
Kids from wealthy families typically will have better access (in terms of both time and money) to help their sons and daughters learn and grow.
Helping your child to identify with their own successes while artfully balancing the ability to appreciate the efforts of others is among the hardest outcomes to achieve.
Helping your child understand how available resources many times dictate outcomes is one factor to consider.
Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Do the best you can, with what you have, where you are," - which speaks to the importance of understanding the limits of your own circumstances.
Meanwhile a parent needs to be able to identify their daughter's strengths and build on them so they will be better prepared psychologically to face the pressures that inevitably come from our innately (and unfairly) competitive culture.