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How young is too young for kids to engage in social networking? My daughter started meeting online friends with Webkinz when she was 9, and now regularly connects with others on Furry-paws. She's 12, so I guess we're a little behind the times - many kids her age and younger are already exploring MySpace and Facebook.
She also takes some classes through a virtual school, so online networking has become part of her daily routine. She discusses assignments with classmates, talks about her favorite movies, and follows lively discussions about the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana ... all virtually.
But now there are sites like Schooltogethernow.com, with the explicit goal of engaging children in social networking. Children aged 7 - 11 are now encouraged to socialize online.
This brings up a lot of questions about social networking and kids. How young is too young? Obviously, social networking will be an important part of our children's lives as they grow older. Some might think they might as well learn to use it now. On the other hand, could we be hurting our children by allowing them to socialize online at an early age?
When my kids were young, I would not have felt comfortable having them spend a lot of time networking online. I strictly limited computer and TV time during their preschool and early elementary years. If online networking had been an option at that time, I 'm quite sure I would have limited that too.
But also, I'm wondering if there are some pluses to letting our children network online at early ages - so long as we implement the same level of parental monitoring we do when they want to watch a TV show or play a video game. Online networking gives our kids opportunities to meet people from all over the world and practice social skills in a safe environment.
Perhaps, used with caution, online social networking can help us train our children to be the confident, successful young adults we want them to become.
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Source by Denise Willms
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