The Dangers of Early Social Media Use

As parents, the passage of time always leaves us with some regrets. I have some of those should of and would of realities regarding things I would change if I could go back and do it all over again. For parents raising kids in today’s smartphone and social media saturated world, we don’t want to make mistakes now that might lead to parental regrets later in life. New research published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, found that using Instagram or snapchat prior to age eleven is related to problematic digital behaviors compared to those who weren’t allowed to join these platforms until they were older. Kids who joined at younger ages were more prone to misuse the platforms, form negative online relationships, and be victimized by online or sexual harassment. These platforms require a minimum age of thirteen to register, but a third of kids are now registering by age eleven or twelve. We must be diligent in guarding your kids now rather than having regrets later.