With regards to my previous post about parents vs. teens generations, a prime example of that is many parents being digital immigrants and teens being digital natives. Teenagers, unlike their parents generations (in most cases), often socialize online instead of in person, prefer texting over phone calls. And even if they meet friends in person, most of their conversation is about twitter, tumbler or something about online. While many parents consider online activities wastage of time, or are concerned about online corruption, the teens feel misunderstood about their Internet activities. Lets face it: Our teens are born in the digital era and it is best that we prepare them to live through the real world challenges rather than keeping them in a bubble. While Internet addiction and corruption is prevalent, it doesnt mean that OUR teens have to be negatively influenced by the net. I raised my kids without a TV at home, but I am not raising them without the Internet because there are ways to manage Internet that was not possible with the TV. Parents, lets not get digitally divided with our teens. There are ways to manage our teens Internet usage without conflicts and communication breakdown: • Familiarize yourself with the internet world (If you are reading this post then youre already familiar with FB ) • Not everything on the Internet is evil. • Just because your teens socialize in person with friends instead of online, doesnt mean they will be corruption-free. We dont know what happens in in-person social circles but we can monitor online activities. • Talk to your teens and share your concerns with them • Install parental control in their electronic devices and DISCUSS with them why you did that. Explain the importance of monitored online activities. MAKE SURE that they dont perceive this as mistrust rather explain to them your responsibilities as their parents. • Discuss time limits with your teens. Let them negotiate so it doesnt become an issue of power struggle. • Wed installed software on our teens’ computers that would automatically shut down their internet after the desired time limit wed set. (Mac has a built-in option) • Even with all the security and parental controls in our kids electronic devices, we still insist on everyone sitting in the common living room with the laptops just to be closer to the family • Give your teens options for off-line activities. Discuss what they enjoy and try to make those activities available for them. Dear Parents, try to understand your teens with an open heart and mind, put yourself in their shoe, judge the situation based on their time not yours. Communicate with them so there is no room left for shaytaan to cause misunderstandings. Communication makes our teens see our side of the picture that they cant automatically understand unless we explain to them. Once they understand our struggles they no longer see parental actions as power manipulation. Make du a. Raising Muslim Teens
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 08:52:48 +0000
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