Social media can be dangerous and it certainly comes with its share of negatives. That being said, there are actually some great ways social media can benefit your teen too.

We always hear about the dangers and the risks of social media where our children are concerned and while all of those precautions are necessary, we can also find ways that social media can benefit your teen! If we are going to allow them to have the latest tech devices we have to make sure that there are some benefits. Spending all of that time on their computers, tablets, or phones needs to be for good cause right?

If you are anything like me, you like to find the pros and cons of most things before you make a decision. Well, I’m sure you have seen and though of some of the cons of your kids having social media accounts, so let’s talk a little bit about the pros!

As with any social media or online activity, it’s mostly about being prepared. If you need to learn how to check twitter or Instagram you can check out my guides for parents! It can be overwhelming in the beginning but after some practice it gets easier.

4 Ways Social Media Can Benefit Your Teen

Family Connections

Social media helps kids stay in touch better with extended family members. Do you remember how often you spoke to your grandparents or aunts, uncles, and cousins when you were young? Unless they lived nearby, it probably wasn’t that often.

These days most of these people are on social media and your kids can talk to them as often as they wish. This is a huge benefit to your kids and to the family. Social media really has done wonders to keep families close even when physical distance separates us!

Friendships & Social Anxiety

One of the ways social media can benefit your teen is by helping them create friendships and managing social anxiety. Social media accounts are great for strengthening friendships for adolescents. The teenage years are hard and kids often feel like outcasts (even if they are not), and social media allows them to “see” their friends more often. It is also really good for keeping friendships going after one of the kids has moved.

No more are friendships doomed by a long distance move. Instead, friendships can withstand time and location because they are right at the touch of a button.

Another friendship benefit is that children who have social anxiety and are nervous to step outside of their comfort zone to meet new people can still socialize. Social media allows them to “meet” other kids from their area and get to know them a little before they really have to put themselves “out there” in person.

Knowledge of Technology

Kids who are comfortable with social media also tend to be more technologically advanced, which is a huge benefit in today’s world. Technology is a major part of our lives now and the better you are at it, the further you will go.

Many classes in elementary, middle, and high school are taught on tablets or computers, which means your kids need to be comfortable with technology. It’s not something that they can opt out of or ignore. This advanced knowledge can help them further excel in certain subjects in school or even point them into a direction for college and their career later on in life. A comfortable and familiar knowledge of technology is one of the ways social media can benefit your teen.

Inclusion & Emotion Support

Social media is a great way for kids to feel like they are part of something. If your child has an interest that isn’t shared by many kids that they’re around in everyday life, chances are, they will find a huge gathering of like minded kids online that enjoy the same interests. This allows them a sense of acceptance and helps them to feel as though they fit in whereas they may not feel that way at school or with their friends.

What are some of the ways you’ve seen social media benefit your teen?