Social Media and Setting Boundaries

Social media is an influential part of a teenager’s life. As a college we do our very best to educate our students around safe use of social media and the benefits that it can have. Throughout Term 1, the wellbeing leaders at the college have had to manage a number of concerns around the use of applications such as Tik Tok and Snapchat. The risks of using social media can include online bullying, damaging one’s online reputation, personal information being shared online, being harassed, reducing one’s self-esteem and becoming disconnected from the real world. The holidays are a perfect time to help your child develop positive habits around their use of social media and start some conversation around the following:

• Taking regular breaks from their mobile phones
• Setting clear boundaries around the apps they are using
• Turning their phone off by a certain time each evening
• Making sure notifications are turned off to reduce the compulsion of checking the social media so frequently
• Ensuring their privacy settings are set to a safe and high standard

The following article may be of some use to families https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/entertainment-technology/digital-life/social-media

With our school and families working together I know that we can ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students when it comes to their online behaviour.