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If you have a teen or tween in your house you know the struggle has suddenly become all too real. They have changed. They are growing up in a fast paced world and exposed to much more than you and I had probably ever dreamed up at their age.

tween social media

Social media is everywhere for this age group. Not only do many of our kids have phones, tablets, and maybe even computers, but schools are now integrating the use of technology and it is streaming through their lives on a daily basis.

So lets get real on the matter. Social media is a part of our kid’s lives as much as it is our own, or maybe even more. Monitoring and staying educated in the matter is a must. Whether you are having a complete communication shut down with your child or you are worried they are being bullied this list of Ultimate Ways To Protect Your Teen & Tween With Social Media can truly help!

1. If you want to know the terms and lingo your teens and tweens are using in conversation then these 28 Terms and Acronyms you must know as a parent. Kids are gonna talk in code and the logistics of their conversations. Educate yourself with this handy list (example: POS = Parent Over Shoulder).

2. Cyber bullying is real. It happens to both children and adults. The best way to conquer this if your child becomes a target is to review just what safety measures must be taken. Check out these tips on How to Keep Your Kids Safe From Cyber Bullying.  Talk to your kids.  Be their friend- their safe place and trusting person that they can talk to at the end of the day.

3. Interacting with friends online is something this age group is doing everyday. Give them the resources and tools to identify and stand up to peer pressure whether they are in person or online is key to self confidence. These 9 Tips For Helping Your Tween or Teen With Peer Pressure include some really amazing things.

4. As a parent of a teen or tween protecting our kids is a top priority. Use these 9 Tips For Monitoring Your Child’s Social Media Access to give yourself a peace of mind in what they are being exposed to as well as set boundaries and define the lines appropriate for your child.

5. If you haven’t already noticed you may not be the easiest person to talk to according to your teen or tween. Or you may be struggling with effective ways to get down on their level and enrich your relationship. Here are some great tips for Improving Communication With Your Teen that are absolutely wonderful methods to create an open line of communication between you and your child.

6- Check out the three rules that we will never break when it comes to our kids & their online devices.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions about conversations with your teen or tween. They seriously may not be as open to having these little talks with you and it may become frustrating, but eventually it does become easier. It is important for your child to know the risks and dangers of social media and that your questions and insights are a mere way of you being protective of them and loving them unconditionally.

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Do you have a tip that works great for protecting your kids and social media?

Crystal is a mom of five boys and Dallas-based mom blogger at Crystal & Co., where she has been sharing mommy resources and solutions since 2008.

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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10 Comments

  1. This is so helpful for the parents of teens and tweens. I don’t feel that old until I get around teens and realize how very much has changed since I was a teen! There is so much we have to keep up on if we want to keep our kids safe!

  2. This is such a great post and reminder to all parents! We’re not living in the days of our childhood where the bullying was able to stop when the school bell rang. Unfortunately kids face it 24/7 with the popularity of social media.

  3. These are great tips for helping your teen. I would also like to make a suggestion for being educated on the signs of drug use. I know most parents don’t think their child will get into this if they monitor them with other things. However, there is an epidemic of heroin and opiate addiction in America. I have seen the tragedies of addiction with my brother and my parents were very involved.

    1. So very true! My brother is a principal and has told me to start talking to our almost 10 year old already. We did, but it is scary to think about it.

  4. It’s really quite a challenge to control what kids see and interact with online. Even those who are as young as two or three already know how to browse through YouTube and Google. Teens’ lives are so exposed to social media.

  5. These are all great tips to help parents deal with the technology kids are exposed to these days. I think because we didn’t grow up with all of these media networks at our disposal as parents we tend to panic. Every generation has something that is hard to get a grip on at first but with proper guidance, it will all be alright. These tips will help!

  6. I’m terrified of my child turning into a tween!! It is so different from the world I grew up in and that was scary enough!!! This is a great post with great tips!

  7. I believe most parents {me included} are just as naive and unaware as the teens they are parenting when it comes to online dangers. This is great resource for those parents. I only knew about a few of these! Much appreciated!

  8. I’m not a parent yet but I have siblings who do and I know how hard it can be for them to control the things that their kids see online. I will definitely be sharing this one to them!

  9. This is something I’m so worried about! My son is only 1, so I have some time to prepare, but still… It’s such a scary world. Thanks for sharing these great tips!