21st-century parenting is no easy task. And one of the big questions is how to navigate your kid’s use of social media on the internet.
Screens are an integral part of learning, and there’s no way to keep your kids off of the internet when school is involved.
But the online world is full of booby traps…excuse the pun. Conscientious parents are sometimes at their wit’s end on how to deal with these alluring pitfalls.
Social media can be a breeding ground for bullying, self-esteem problems, body image toxicity, etc.
Actor and mom Jennifer Garner have managed to walk a fine line with her kids and she is offering a simple and effective answer to many parents’ questions.
Garner has three kids, ages 17, 13, and 11, whom she co-parents with ex-husband Ben Affleck. She has already made it clear that she does not let her kids be on social media, Garner said she doesn’t “see anything positive” in it for them. But she doesn’t just tell them they can’t and leave it at that.
The well-known actress interviewed with the “TODAY” show in which Hoda Kota asked her how she manages to keep her teens off of social media without them hating her.
“I just said to my kids, ‘Show me the articles that prove that social media is good for teenagers, and then we’ll have the conversation,'” Garner said. “Find scientific evidence that matches what I have that says that it’s not good for teenagers, then we’ll chat.’”
That approach puts the burden on the kids to make a solid argument that is backed up by solid evidence. It takes away the parental power trap.
And it’s so much more than “No, because I said so.”
It’s “No, because I love you, and I want you to be healthy.”
And even more, “If you can find evidence to counter mine, I’m willing to reconsider.”
Garner is not alone, singer Pink has a similar rule in place for her daughter Willow when it comes to getting a phone.
“I told her, point blank, ‘If you can produce literature from a reputable source that tells me that social media is good for you, then you can be on it. Otherwise, good luck””
Jennifer Garner keeps her kids off social media: 'Find scientific evidence' it's good for teens https://t.co/y7FPulWCsq
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 11, 2023
