The physical, mental, social, and emotional health of City School District of New Rochelle youth, families, faculty, and staff is paramount, and social media usage can have a major impact on the health of our community. Your school district requests the assistance of parents and guardians in providing important guidance and education about social media, as well as vigilance in monitoring our youths’ social media activity.
Some social media posts can cause extreme worry and have broad impact. Children have access to an online world that is above and beyond their understanding. This ever-transforming and expanding world can be complex even for adults to navigate, and guidelines and boundaries are important.
“By having open conversations about social media, its benefits, and its risks, you can promote positive social media usage,” according to WebMD.com. “Create a plan to inform your child or children of the benefits of social media and what to be cautious about. This will help your relationship with your child as you manage their social media usage together.” Promoting positive social media usage leads to more positive outcomes, and that is what we want for our youth.
WebMD.com also recommends these approaches:
- Setting the tone (staying calm and avoiding emotional language online)
- Asking before you tell (ask your child what platforms they are using and let them explain them to you)
- Leading by example (talk about how you use social media in a healthy way)
- Staying calm (if you find out your child has been using a site inappropriately or engaging in behavior you don’t approve of, have a level-headed discussion)
- Talking about permanence and privacy (let children know that online posts are permanent and that they should only connect with people they know and trust)
- Describing positive and negative online behavior (speaking nicely vs. cyberbullying and manipulative behavior).
Learn more about Web MD’s recommendations and see additional resources on conflict resolution and well-being here. The City School District of New Rochelle will continue to share important information with you regarding social media and safeguarding our community’s children.