Kids Hiding Online Behavior from Parents

Last updated on: June 20, 2013 at 1:01 am by Jonathan McKee

Kids Hiding Online Behavior from Parents 2013-06-19T10:49:23-06:00 Jonathan McKee

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“Here’s your iPhone Brandon. Don’t break it.”

And that’s all the training and instruction Brandon gets. It’s a sad fact, but most of the parents in America hand their kids devices with Internet access and never give them guidance or boundaries, teaching them discernment.

So are kids being responsible with these devices?

It’s an assumption too many parents are making. Ask the kids. In a brand-new survey from McAfee last month, 88% of young people, ages 10-23, said their parents “trust them to do the right thing online.” Then 69% of these young people surveyed admitted they take measures to hide their online behavior from heir parents.

I’m sure these parents would do something if they only knew… right?

Sadly, the same study revealed 74% of parents said “they don’t have the time or energy to keep up with everything their kids are doing, and 72% said they are overwhelmed by modern technology and just hope for the best.”

I understand feeling overwhelmed. I can’t keep up with all the advances in technology and I study youth culture for a living. But is that an excuse to just turn a blind eye?

Don’t get me wrong, the correct reaction isn’t overreaction. I’ve seen that too. I’ve met too many parents at my parent workshops who are gripping onto their kids so tightly, they are squeezing them away. But why settle for either extreme?

Where is the balance?

How can parents teach their kids responsibility, without being an overprotective helicopter parent?

Or should we just “hope for the best?”

JONATHAN IS ON OF THE AUTHORS
OF THE BRAND NEW BOOK,
SHOULD I JUST SMASH MY KID’S PHONE?

Jonathan McKee

Parenting

youth culture

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