What traits will children growing up with social media have that their parents lack?
Would you raise your child addicted to social media?
Children born into a life with social media, i.e. family members who grow up and share their lives on social networks with the widespread use of the internet since the early 2000s, are increasing. Children lose some of their skills in the environment in which they grow up.
One of them may be patience. Social media is a platform that provides instant and continuous feedback to people. Elements such as likes, comments, and shares make children born into social media feel valued and satisfied. However, this can make it difficult for them to develop skills that require patience, such as focusing on long-term goals and resilience in the face of adversity. Like their parents, children born into social media may move away from hobbies that require patience, such as reading, crafting, and gardening. Instead, they may turn to activities that are faster and easier to get results. This can create a generational conflict between them and their parents.
Another is growing up without a sense of privacy. Children born into social media are used to sharing most of their lives digitally. They don't hesitate to post personal information, photos, opinions, feelings, etc. on an account with thousands of followers. This means that they may be less likely to value privacy and set boundaries like their parents. Children born into social media may not have the same habits as their parents, such as closing doors at home, encrypting their phones, or keeping a diary. Instead, they may adopt a more transparent and open lifestyle. This can create a trust issue between them and their parents.
Social media is a platform that allows people to express themselves and differentiate themselves. Children born into social media may be more interested in creative fields such as art, music, literature, and design than their parents. They may also have the opportunity to meet and be inspired by different cultures of the world through social media. Instead of living an ordinary and monotonous life like their parents, children born into social media may seek a more colorful and diverse life. This can help them build a bridge of communication with their parents.
Social media is a platform that allows people to keep up with changing trends and developments and to update themselves. Children born into social media may be more knowledgeable and aware of technology, science, politics, and economics than their parents. They can also interact with and respect people with different views, beliefs, values, and lifestyles thanks to social media. Children born into social media may have a more flexible and open perspective rather than a rigid and conservative one like their parents. This can make it easier for them to establish a rapport with their parents.
As a result, children born into social media will be a generation with both differences and similarities with their parents. How this generation will parent will depend on how they use, are influenced by, and balance social media. Social media is a tool with both advantages and disadvantages. Children born into social media need to learn how to use this tool in the best way for themselves and their children. In this way, they can build a healthy and happy relationship with both their parents and their children.