The internet is a place of near-endless possibilities when it comes to speaking one’s mind. Therefore, it is important to follow a few rules and consider others´ feelings when commenting on anything.
Kids are interacting with social media earlier than ever these days, and it is up to us to show them how to use it properly. We first need to understand that anything we post online stays there forever, whether it is a post, a photo, or a comment. And even if you delete it, there is no guarantee someone else hasn´t reposted, taken a screen shot of, or otherwise shared your post. On top of that, all data is always stored somewhere.
What we do online stays there forever, and others can judge us based on that and can be affected by it at the same time. Our words and actions can hurt or uplift people offline and online. To teach this principle to young children from an early age is important to support their proper use of the online world now and later on as adults.
Principles to teach your kids:
1. Read more than just the headline – it is very easy to think we know what the author is saying without context. Make sure you read the whole article, or the whole social media copy, before saying something.
2. Do address the author with respect and be nice – everyone deserves to be treated nicely. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn´t say it to their face, don´t type it.
3. If you need to criticize something/someone, be constructive – criticism for the sake of criticism leads nowhere. It doesn´t help the author to improve, and it only creates bad feelings and energy. Make sure you criticize only for the purpose of helping the author improve.
4. Think twice before hitting “comment” – this goes without saying. Do not act on a whim, especially online, where things are permanent and can never be truly deleted.
5. Respect others´ opinions – the person next to you may not think the same thing as you. And that is okay. We are all different and have different outlooks and opinions. That´s what makes life interesting, after all.
6. Check your grammar before posting – bad grammar is annoying and can lead others to believe they are talking to an uneducated person.
7. Sarcasm does not always translate – remember that jokes and sarcasm can sometimes come across as insensitive online, as it is impossible to see the other person's body language or hear their tone of voice.
The topic of netiquette or proper online behavior should be addressed when teaching kids about the online world. The first thing, however, to bring up adults who understand how to act on the internet is for us grown-ups to familiarize ourselves with the rules and principles and follow them ourselves.
Teaching kids about netiquette is key. Being friends with your kids or following each other is great for them to see how you behave online and potentially learn from you. At the same time, it is beneficial for you to have an idea of their behaviour and offer advice for improvement.
However, to be able to tell your kids anything about their online behavior, you first need to make sure your relationship with them is open and understanding. You need to be the one they trust to come to with a problem and to seek advice.
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