Re-assess kids' access to social media

Parents, it turns out, rarely see Facebook as a danger zone.

A whopping 83 percent of parents think the benefits of their children's social media use outweigh or at least balance any perceived risks.

In a national survey released recently by Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo., almost three-fourths of parents said social media prepare children for success in a digital society and encourage curiosity and collaboration.

The results surprised researchers at Children's Mercy, given that parents also said they are concerned about child molesters, sexting and cyber bullying.

More than half of the 728 parents surveyed thought social media made their children more open-minded.

Barely two in five parents worried that their children's online activity might breed social isolation and behavioral problems. Roughly the same number were concerned that children's virtual lives could interfere with real-life social skills and friendships.

The expert's take?

"Most of us did some things as adolescents that we don't want on the front page of the Kansas City Star," he said. "And yet we kind of assume blindly that our kids won't."

Police agree.

"You have a right to demand the password for your children," Overland Park, Kan., police spokesman Gary Mason said. "They're your kids and you should be actively looking at what they put on the Internet."

There are other ways to give a child freedom, he said.

Of the parents surveyed, 71 percent believe that 13 is the right age to let their children use Facebook. Christophersen said that's usually the right choice.

Facebook restricts children younger than 13 from opening an account, although it isn't uncommon for children to fib about their age when signing up.

Once a child has a social media account, Christophersen insists that parents get passwords and join their child's circle of friends to see posts and pictures.

Social media are not private like a diary, he stressed.

"If your child has a journal, it's none of your business what the child says in it," he said. But Facebook and Twitter, he said, aren't a journal.

Pictures and posts live on the Internet to haunt or humiliate a child forever.

After decades of work, he's seen it all. Teenage lovers texting pictures of their genitalia only to wind up in jeopardy of spending their lives on a sexual predator list. He's talked to parents upset about discussions their children had online about sex. Most of the time he ends up counseling the parent to use common sense: Monitor your child.

Many parents don't know how to navigate social media and trust teenagers to tell them if there is a problem.

"If you do a survey of teenagers, they will probably tell you that the car is safe even though it's the biggest risk to their life and limb," he said.

Life isn't fair

Tiffany Lynch, a mother of four in Mission Hills, Kan., has gotten used to her children complaining that life isn't fair.

"I feel like I'm alone," she said. "There aren't many people that have a plan like this in place."

The former teacher didn't come to her decisions lightly. Lynch enjoys sharing pictures on Facebook and agrees that there are clear benefits to the site. But she also wonders when children are mature enough to understand the effects of a snarky status update or a mean-spirited Tweet.

Her policy doesn't go over well with her 13- or 12-year-old children, both of whom have friends on Facebook despite the age minimum.

"Call your friends," she tells them. "Pick up the phone. Invite them over. You don't need Facebook."

School response is limited

"With nearly 29,000 students," said Olathe, Kan., School District spokeswoman Maggie Kolb, "that would be nearly impossible."

Parents seeking guidance online often reach out to school officials for help first. Many districts have responded with parent education classes.

Parents have been surprised to learn that school districts are greatly limited in how they can respond to complaints. Often, the offending Tweet or Facebook post happens outside school. The district will get involved if a threat is made that could disrupt or directly affect the school day.

But unkind words? Or malicious posts from classmates?

That's up to parents. Districts throughout the city also urge parents to report criminal activity directly to police.

Advice from pediatricians backs up her policies, but there's no true guidebook to get her through.