Teach your kids to be smart with their smartphones

"Parents, we need to teach our kids to use their smartphones responsibly. Social media (and the internet) has almost become like a tattoo," says social media expert and founder of Magriet.co, Magriet Groenewald.

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She warns that whatever you post today could go on to haunt you ten years from now. “Once it’s out there on the internet, it lives on forever,” says Groenewald.

Groenewald is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs, business owners and influencers to show up online, connect authentically and sell more - but she’s also extremely concerned about the younger generation and the lack of knowledge parents have about social media and how to guide, monitor, manage and protect their children.

She urges parents to talk to their kids about being smart with their phones and to always remember that the ‘screenshot’ is a game-changer. She cautions, “Even if you delete a post and someone has taken a screenshot of your post, you don’t have any control over it anymore.”

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Before posting, kids should ask themselves whether the post or the content that they’re about to upload can be seen by:

Their parents or grandparents?
Their friends’ parents?
Their teacher or principal?
The police?
Scammers or paedophiles?
Future universities or colleges?
Future employers?

“If the answer is no to any of these questions, then do not post it”, says Groenewald.

She says that social media and the internet have great benefits for the younger generation, but it is our responsibility as parents to guide them in order to use it safely.