69ý

Families & the Community

Parents See Benefit in Kids’ Facebook Time

By McClatchy-Tribune — October 15, 2012 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Parents, it turns out, rarely see Facebook as a danger zone.

A whopping 83 percent of parents think the benefits of their children’s social-media use outweigh or at least balance any perceived risks.

In a national survey by Children’s Mercy, Hospitals and Clinics, almost three-fourths of parents said social media prepare children for success in a digital society and encourage curiosity and collaboration.

The results surprised researchers at Kansas City, Mo.-based Children’s Mercy, given that parents also said they are concerned about child molesters, sexting, and cyberbullying.

More than half of the 728 parents surveyed thought social media made their children more open-minded.

Barely two in five parents worried their children’s online activity could breed social isolation and behavioral problems. Roughly the same number was concerned that children’s virtual lives could get in the way of their real-life social skills and friendships. The expert’s take?

Parental Monitoring

BRIC ARCHIVE

SOURCE: MinorMonitor 2012

Social-media exposure has many benefits, says Children’s Mercy child psychologist Ed Christophersen, but giving children unlimited and unsupervised access is asking for trouble.

“Most of us did some things as adolescents that we don’t want on the front page of The Kansas City Star,” he says. “And yet we kind of assume blindly that our kids won’t.” Police agree.

“You have a right to demand the password for your children,” Overland Park, Kan., police spokesman Gary Mason says. “They’re your kids, and you should be actively looking at what they put on the Internet.”

Of the parents surveyed, 71 percent believe that 13 is the right age to let their children use Facebook. Christophersen says that’s usually the right choice.

“People keep saying ‘what age, what age, what age?’ Well, it depends on the maturity level,” he says. “If you’ve had a kid that has just been a pain, why would you give them unlimited access to the Internet?”

Facebook restricts children younger than 13 from opening an account, although it’s not uncommon for children to lie about their age when signing up.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the October 17, 2012 edition of Digital Directions as Parents See Benefits in Kids’ Facebook Time

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Families & the Community From Our Research Center What Educators Have to Say About Parents Texting and Calling Their Kids During School
Teachers, principals, and district leaders are increasingly frustrated by parents who do not respect student cellphone restrictions.
1 min read
Photograph of a hand holding a cellphone showing text messages from "mom" with "Did you remember to take your lunch today?" and "Don't forget you have music lessons after school." The background is a blurred open book.
Kathy Everett for Education Week
Families & the Community Opinion The 3 Secrets to Better Parent-Teacher Communication
Teachers and parents rarely receive guidance on how to effectively communicate. Here’s what two experienced educators recommend.
Adam Berger & Don Berger
4 min read
Line drawing of town landscape including a school, a child, and a parent.
Fumiko Inoue/iStock
Families & the Community School Attendance Suffers as Parent Attitudes Shift
Parents are more relaxed about attendance than before the pandemic, district leaders said.
4 min read
One person walking down stairs in motion effect photography inside building.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Families & the Community Parents Call Chronic Absenteeism a Problem, But Most Can't Define It
A new poll sheds light on parents' views on chronic absenteeism and acceptable reasons to miss school.
3 min read
Empty desks within a classroom
iStock/Getty Images Plus