Did you know your children could be stressing out over their social media friends list? Some children become very concerned about the number of friends on their friends list or likes on their page.

Many parents do not realize the kinds of issues that sometimes concern their children. Social media is on the minds of more and more of our youth. Are your children active on social media? Have you given them permission to be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat? Friendster, Google Plus, Pinterest and Tumblr are some other social media sites where your children may be active. How much time are you children spending on social media?

Studies show that children from the ages of 13 to 17 are spending over two hours a day on social media sites on the Internet. It is estimated that over 8 million children below the age of 13 are active on Facebook. Facebook is intended for users aged 13 and older.

It’s true that social media is our new method of communication. However, to make sure online communication is healthy, parents and other adults should be aware of what children are doing. Realize that children are using these social media sites at ages where they are incredibly impressionable. Most of these children do not understand the implications of personal privacy.

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, teachers, guidance counselors and other individuals can make a positive impact and help children learn the right way to deal with social media. Open discussions with children about social media can empower them to develop their own respectful online presence.