Thursday, March 3, 2016

New technology, New Frontiers New Challenges of Parenting




You can be certain that out there someone is burning the midnight oil trying to create the next big thing in tech today. The success of popular social media sites has added to the zeal by techpreneurs to be even more creative. One downside in the tech industry is the fact that a product is good when it’s launched. Before they can even settle down to start the serious work a newer, faster, interactive and better product is born. Kids get bored so quickly. Funny enough, they have contributed immensely to how these products are created. For instance, Facebook has been forced to acquire other newer tech companies such as WhatsApp and Instagram in a bid to retain the younger generation. 

One of the reason creators of social media sites focus on the younger generation is because they understand and embrace technology better and faster. In addition, they have more time on their hands to utilize the social media offering. That said, social media has brought with it new challenges that were non existence a decade ago.  Although not all of these new challenges are harmful some are especially if there is no adult supervision.

Sexting: this has become the in thing among the younger generation. It is a new way of communicating and teen parents need to be worried. Basically, this involves user sending indecent pictures of them to a love interest. It is common among both teen genders. Why is it so popular? For one, social media has given kids opportunity to express themselves in way they wouldn’t in real life. In addition social media has reduced physical meet ups in favor of text engagements. With the existence of sites such Snapchat which deletes images after 10 seconds, it easier for one to engage in sexual flirting. 

Since most teens are not aware of the consequence of sharing indecent images with love interest or strangers, they will do so innocently. It gets worse when such indecent pictures become viral. The teens don’t have a clue or the skills to handle such a situation. In extreme cases, indecent text and images have been used in blackmails and revenge porn. 

What should a parent do? They say that prevention is better than cure. The best way to handle such a new challenge is to keenly monitor your children online activity. You can easily do this through the use of trusted free spy apps such as Auto Forward Cell Phone Spy. It helps you keep a tab on what your teen is doing and subsequently prevent damage before it occurs.

Fear of being alone: social media has created a need to be in large groups albeit virtually. The younger generation rarely puts their smartphones down as they continuously chat on social media. They only stop once the parent puts their feet down by either disallowing them from using their phone or when they choose to take a break on their own. However, with the use of spy software such as Auto Forward iPhone tracking app parents still have control over their social media sites usage. The features in the software allow the parents to monitor every activity happening in their daughter’s phone. 

Media expectations and creation of social media sites have contributed to the fear of being alone. Teens have the idea that being alone is some sort of crime and it only happens to losers. In an effort to mend those inadequacies they choose to be part of the social media revolution even if it’s harmful to them. 

What should parents do?  Parents have a responsibility of ensuring an all rounded growth for their children.  First, they should dissuade their kids from spending most of their time online. Secondly, parents need to create rules on how their teens spend time on the computer or the mobile devices. Alternatively, parents can enforce the rules through advanced spy software such as Auto Forward phone locator app which allows them to block or uninstall additive and potentially harmful apps from their teen’s Smartphone.