Parenting young adults is not an easy task. It’s the beginning of their desire for independence and it’s often hard for parents to begin to let go. The best thing we can do for them is keep an open line of communication and help guide them through the varying social issues as they come up. One aspect of life today that we didn’t have to deal with as teenagers is social media. Due to the Children’s Privacy Protection Act, companies like Facebook and Instagram require children are at least 13 years of age to join.
If you have decided that the benefits out way the risks and have given permission for your child to set up these accounts, it is advisable to sit down and have a good talk about proper online etiquette. Be sure to set ground rules and tell them that if they break the rules, the account is closed. Explain that they should never give out their home address, their location, their password or any inappropriate pictures because the information could get in the wrong hands. Not everyone reading or viewing the material might be a “friend”. It is also important to talk about how the child wants to portray himself to the world. Once something is online, it’s out there for many eyes to see so it’s imperative to be conscious of what he or she is posting. Remind them that colleges and employers can check these sites as part of background checks for applicants!
One excellent resource to use to help caregivers navigate through the various obstacles of parenting a child of any age is to take an online parenting course. These programs are designed for court or legal requirements and also to help improve yourself as you raise your children. Parenting classes teach skills for managing anger and stress so these emotions don’t get taken out on the children. They also talk about how to more effectively listen and converse with your kids for positive results. As your children grow up, it becomes more and more important to set appropriate boundaries with reward and consequences for misbehavior. Classes will also reinforce how important you are as a role model for your kids. They will emulate your behavior, so if you are looking for appropriate behavior in their teen years, it’s important that you establish that path with your own actions.
A 4-hour parenting class can be taken online from any Internet based computer to allow the caregiver the ability to stay at home. Learning the information in this relaxed environment also gives you the flexibility to login and out of the course whenever you have free time. The beauty of taking a class online is that they are available to you 24/7, so you can take them while the kids are at school, while they are doing their homework, or after everyone has gone to bed. A high quality course that is designed by a licensed and practicing family therapist will contain the most current information to help you establish or reinforce appropriate behavior in your children. Regardless of how many or the age of your kids, taking an online parenting class will give you the continuing skills and education you need to maintain a healthy, emotionally balanced and happy household.