From Pastoral Care Co-Ordinator Primary

Is your child’s use of Social Media Safe? 

In the wake of Covid-19, kids and parents alike have become more aware of ways to stay connected outside of school through different types of Social Media. While these platforms can have some benefits like communication, creativity and digital literacy, it is important to approach these platforms with caution and supervision keeping in mind the potential drawbacks.  

Some concerns around social media for children are sharing personal details that strangers can access, cyberbullying, harassment and negative comments that affect their mental and emotional wellbeing, they can also be exposed to inappropriate content and there is a risk of encountering explicit content that is not suitable for their developmental age.  

The ding of a notification or the pop up’s and interactions can contribute to addictive behaviours and a distraction from other hobbies and other physical activities and interests. Posting on social media also leaves a digital footprint and children do not grasp the potential impact of their online actions.  

The way that some children speak to others online can at times, be quite disgusting and they way they speak can become normalised within groups of children. This way of communicating can be carried into other interactions outside of the online world and affect relationships at school and in the wider community. Children need to be guided to think that if they wouldn’t say or do these things to someone in front of an audience or wouldn’t say or do them in front of their grandma, then they shouldn’t be saying them online either.  

As a parent, if you feel the need to allow access to different messaging and social media services, please ensure that you have open conversations about the benefits and risks. As a parent of a primary aged student it is essential that you are regularly monitoring their conversations and help your child to navigate the digital landscape safely and to make informed choices. If their digital use becomes a problem, it is also okay to say no. A great resource to use to make informed choices is the e-safety commissioner for further information visit the website eSafety Kids