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In growing numbers, parents are turning to social media for parenting advice. The latest numbers show that 4 out of 5 parents are leaning into social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for advice on everything from toilet training to toddler sleep routines. And, in some cases, they are relying on this advice for insights into health and nutrition. In short, the type of advice traditionally provided by health professionals is now being provided by total strangers.
Pros
Nearly one-half of all parents say that social media is a very useful resource. Instead of needing to schedule a time for conferring one-on-one with a trained health professional, they can get advice from other parents on a 24/7 basis. The always-on nature of social media means that there is someone able to reply within a very short period of time. Even if you don’t like the answer, it can be very helpful to know that someone out there is trying to help and willing to listen.
Moreover, parents often say that they are more comfortable asking questions of their peers who are actually down in the trenches with them. Undoubtedly, there is a sort of shared camaraderie amongst parents, especially if they can find other parents with kids the same age. There is something very comforting in knowing that you are “not alone.” Before Facebook came along, parents never really knew if their child was having normal behavioral and health issues. Now, they can get a very easy benchmark to see how their child stacks up.
Cons
Of course, there is a downside to all this parenting advice taking place on social media. For one, there is a lot of misinformation out there. Do you really want to be taking advice on behavior, nutrition, or discipline from a parent with absolutely no official training in the field? It’s even worse if you are making health or medical decisions based on the prior experiences of other parents. While you might be able to count on other parents for advice on normal scrapes and scratches, it’s a whole different matter if you’re talking about heart issues or respiratory diseases.
And then there is the whole issue of over-sharing. On social media, parents are no longer holding back when it comes to sharing highly personal details. In some cases, they are sharing inappropriate photos of their kids that might be misused by total strangers. As a rule of thumb, parents should at least make an effort to blur out the faces of their children if they are sharing images online with strangers. And, instead of giving out full names, it’s best to stick with initials.
Does privacy even exist any more?
The fact that parents are willing to share so much on social media these days is perhaps the best proof yet that privacy might be a relic of the past. Remember the days when it was considered inappropriate to share certain details with others, and when certain topics were avoided in polite conversation? Those days are long gone.
Parents are just sharing too much on social media these days. It’s certainly acceptable to share updates about your kids online, but when it comes to highly personal details related to health (both mental and physical), it’s time to draw the line. Once information is out there on the internet, it’s there for good. So, at the very least, do this for your kids: try to limit the amount of sharing you do online about your kids, and take as many steps as possible to protect their privacy.
