The social networking site Facebook boasts more 500 million active users. The users vary widely in age, but teenagers have staked their claim. For parents, the Facebook dilemma centers around whether or not they should “friend” their kids.
“The friending issue is a delicate balancing act between children thriving for more independence and their parents’ desire to see what is going on to make sure their children are safe. In nearly half of all cases, children said they would prefer to be friends with their parents privately on the web without their parents having the ability to post comments.” [Source: Reuters]
A recent Nielsen survey asked 1,024 parents and 500 teens about parental friending. Surprisingly, 70 percent of teens said they’re friends with their parents on Facebook. Though friending is a good way to keep track of your child’s online activity, it isn’t the only way. Keep a family computer in a common area of the house, rather than letting your child have one in her room. And ask her to occasionally let you see her Facebook page and friends list.
Labels: parenting, communication, internet, social networking
Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton
