Should Parents Limit Time on Facebook?

With nearly 90 percent of American children using the Internet, parents might not be surprised to find their children spending their afterschool time on Facebook. But what might be uncommon in your child, and cause concern for you, is your kid's overuse of or addiction to Facebook. Facebook does have its advantages, but overuse in children can have negative consequences.

  1. The Benefits of Facebook

    • While it̵7;s easy to freak out after watching the latest media shock-story about the negatives of Facebook use, it is equally easy for parents to neglect the benefits that Facebook brings to children̵7;s lives. Facebook in itself is a tool that allows teens to connect with others. As a tool, it encourages positive communication and increased social interaction. This allows your kids to engage in activities that enhance the much-needed skills for adult life: maintaining old relationships and building new relationships. Kids who tend to be shy or introverted in face-to-face social situations often use Facebook as a means of positive social and emotional support.

    The Negatives of Facebook: Risky Behavior

    • Despite its benefits, Facebook has numerous potential negative effects on children when overused. Whether your child is susceptible to the risks is a question only your family can answer. Regardless, parents should be aware of the risks that Facebook exposes children to. Among these risks are a few that parents dread, such as adults persuading children to send photos or engage in cybersex. Facebook is also a hotspot for gossiping and harassment between and within peer groups. Though these activities decrease when you begin monitoring your children̵7;s Facebook activities, the longer a child spends on Facebook the more likely he will encounter such a problem.

    The Negatives of Facebook: Family Problems

    • Facebook also poses a problem to the strength of the family bonds. The time your child spends on Facebook is time he could be spending with you. Families with children who frequently use Facebook commonly find themselves in arguments as to how time should be spent. For example, a child who logs into Facebook as soon as he gets home from school is putting off his homework. When his parents come home and ask him if he̵7;s finished his homework, he might begin only when reminded, which happens to be the time the family could be interacting; you probably have found yourself in a similar situation. Facebook might also become the center of family arguments; children chatting through Facebook might be impatient with parents who are ̶0;interrupting̶1; them. Naturally, as time spent on Facebook increases, time spent talking with parents and sharing in activities decreases.

    Signs of Overuse

    • According to Kimberly Young, scholar of Internet addiction and author of ̶0;Internet Addiction: A Handbook and Guide to Evaluation and Treatment,̶1; only 2 to 3 percent of children suffer from Internet addiction, which is good news for parents everywhere. But parents concerned with their child̵7;s Facebook use should look for warning signs to confirm that their child̵7;s use of time is a hobby and not an addiction. According to Young, children addicted to the Internet have many common characteristics. These characteristics include impulsivity, low self-esteem, and reduced attentiveness to non-Internet related activities. Children with such signs might be turning to the computer for the feeling of safety and focus it gives them; the fact that no face-to-face interaction is needed makes it comforting to children with low self-esteem. Concerned moms and dads should mainly be looking for these personality changes coupled with increase in Facebook use before considering severely limiting or banning a child's Facebook use.

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