Virtual friendships of children - what do you know about them?

accept this, which is often quite difficult. How should you talk to your child about online relationships? Virtual friendships of children.

Virtual friendships of children - what do you know about them?
Virtual friendships of children - what do you know about them?

Is your teenage child constantly online? He spends most of the day on the Internet, has a group of friends there, experiences his infatuations and friendships? That's where she met her first love? As a parent, you are trying to understand and accept this, which is often quite difficult. How should you talk to your child about online relationships? Virtual friendships of children.

Valuable skills

Until a few months ago, adults were very worried about the fact that children spend their friendships and most of their lives on the Internet. Then, due to social quarantine, the skills to build and maintain relationships on-line were very useful and were appreciated by many of us. We have found out that also in professional life they are indispensable and worth improving. So, can we safely let children make friends and have emotional moments on the Internet?

Complementing real acquaintance

Yes, if it is only a continuation and supplement to real acquaintance. Your son or daughter has friends from school, camp, training. In addition to real meetings, they write to each other using online messaging. There's nothing wrong with it. It is a good way to maintain and even strengthen relationships, information exchange, entertainment, and spending time together. However, it is worth remembering a few important rules:

  • Clear rules for using the telephone at home. The signal of the incoming message should not distract your child from dinner, duties or conversation with you.
  • The phone is put away during the night (or actually several hours before going to bed) outside the child's room. The agitation that comes from using the Internet and being always ready to chat make it much harder to fall asleep.
  • A clear message that not everything falls out on the Internet and that nothing is lost in it. Be categorically reminded of the prohibition of sending inappropriate photos or the dangers of writing about your secrets to friends you cannot trust. One of the most common and serious undesirable behavior of young people online is publishing ridiculous photos, videos or information.
  • Acquainting the child with abbreviations and emoticons commonly used on the Internet and realizing that in a virtual relationship it is much easier to misunderstand and conflict. You have to distance yourself from the situation and always make sure that you have interpreted the message correctly. Do not take offense, do not throw out of friends, do not cry at night. Wait, ask, explain. On the other hand, remember that a sent heart does not always mean love, and a tear means true sadness.

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New relationship

The situation is different when a young person makes new friends on the Internet, e.g. by playing online games. You cannot be sure here that the person on the other side of the monitor is the one they claim to be, their intentions pure and the whole relationship safe. Neither can your child be so sure. At the same time, it is difficult to control at every step who the child is talking to and transfer his own fear to a possibly innocent relationship. Therefore, remember a few rules!

  • Keep your finger on the pulse.
  • Make inquiries, but in moderation and with a positive attitude towards new acquaintances, so that the child would like to talk about them.
  • Tell about your own adventures with online contacts and the misunderstandings that occur in such relationships.
  • Explain to the child that you should not give your address, details about your life, or send private photos to strangers. Talk about phishing.

What if it's love?

First of all, work on your reactions if you have snorted with superiority while reading the question above. Because what can such young people know about love? In addition, only talking on-line? Remember your first teenage love. You are probably laughing at her today, but then ... Then she was the most important feeling for you. Such "for life", right? When a young man experiences his first great infatuation, his parents respect this relationship. If you do not understand this - the relationship of the young will continue anyway, but your bond with the child will be damaged.

Teenagers are often lonely people, hungry for closeness, understanding and acceptance. Usually shy too. When they receive interest, compliments, time, attention, recognition from someone on the Internet - they can love, attach and trust very quickly. Of course, they don't have much life experience, so they often face problems with distinguishing between fiction and reality. But¦ they have the right to butterflies in their stomachs and to experience first love their own way. Today, the message on Messenger is an old-fashioned note tossed between the benches. You probably remember these emotions very well! Be happy with your child that he can live it, and be supportive when pain or disappointment arises.