Social media is just one of many technological advances in the last decade that have changed the way we live. It gained worldwide traction in the early 2000s with the launch of Friendster in 2002, MySpace and LinkedIn in 2003, Facebook in 2004, and Twitter in 2006. While the first two platforms have shut down, the others have continued to grow and evolve. And now there’s Tiktok, a popular app that has recently emerged.
The use of social media and the Internet has become an integral part of people’s daily activities. Many people, including parents, relied on it for personal and professional reasons. According to an analysis, there are 4.70 billion social media users worldwide in July 2022, accounting for 59.0% of the total global population. Social media user numbers have also increased. 227 million new users joining social media since this time last year.
Social media definitely has its perks as well as quirks. It is now widely used by many parents because of its significant advantages. Whether you have a newborn, three children aged three to ten, or are struggling to understand your teenagers, let’s look at some of the benefits parents can enjoy.
Provide a Sense of Belonging
Loneliness can take a toll on parents. For example, even if a spouse is only absent for a few hours, the other parent may feel lonely and overwhelmed. Especially when left with a crying toddler. Whereas some new parents may seek validation or a sense of connection to help them navigate the parenting journey.
Consider the challenges of a new mother in need of emotional support. She may believe she is the only one who is struggling as a mother. And that could have an emotional and stressful impact on her. By scrolling through Instagram or Facebook groups, she will realise she is not alone. There are others who are also having difficulties.
On top of that, mothers will share their experiences and suggestions for how to improve the situation. This community can give that struggling breastfeeding mom a sense of belonging.
Cheaper Alternative for Resources
Caring for a growing child is a huge responsibility. For first-time parents, in particular, they have a lot to learn on the fly. Prenatal classes, antenatal classes, breastfeeding courses, and parent workshops can all be quite expensive, and you may not always have the means to pay for them.
It’s always better to seek professional advice, but if you can’t afford it, social media sites like Facebook and YouTube can be a great source of information from experienced parents. Even medical institutions have been known to share educational content on social media.
On another note, coming up with craft ideas to do with the kids can be difficult if you’re stuck for ideas. With social media sites like Pinterest, you can be inspired by other parents’ crafting ideas, all for free. You can find free inspiration for seasonal costumes, school career days, or even Montessori teaching techniques whenever and wherever you are.
Shop on Social Media at Your Leisure
Most parents love to splurge on their kids, especially when it’s their first child. Finding necessities (and desires, of course) can be overwhelming as you need to know what you need to provide for your little ones. On top of that, you must decide what’s best for your kids from a plethora of options. It can be exhausting to research brands, product lines, and services; this is where social media can come in handy.
You can find reviews and testimonies of the products that have been purchased thanks to a large number of users online and in comment sections. This will save you a lot of time and almost guarantee that the product you’re buying is up to your par. You can even go a step further and create your video reviews of the product, allowing you to share different perspectives on the product with others.
Connection with Family Afar
In today’s globalised world, it’s more common for family members or close friends to be thousands of miles apart. You can share updates or daily activities of your family and little munchkins online using social media apps or sites like Instagram and Snapchat, allowing your loved ones on the other side of the world to stay connected and vice versa. This can help improve relationships by allowing you to be “present” and make distance much more bearable.
Save Memorable Moments on Social Media
Nowadays, with smartphones being a necessity, digital keepsakes are common and sometimes overlooked. Think about how all the memories you have stored on your device would be lost if the device goes missing. So, using the internet is one way you can preserve the memories of your family.
You can keep an online album of your memories using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which were designed to highlight images and videos. This allows you to store fewer data and make it simple to access your album from anywhere. The benefits are endless as long as you are mindful of your child’s privacy and safety.
Using Social Media as a Tool to Bond
You may be terrified when your children begin to use social media on their own due to the accessibility that is completely beyond your control. However, social media sites can provide a platform for children to be more honest as they post updates or tweets.
When you connect with your children online, you can get a better sense of what they are feeling, thinking, and doing. If you are still not convinced that your children should have their own accounts, you could bond with them by creating content such as #WipeIt and #theRenegade challenge on TikTok. This would be a fun project to do with your kids.
Social Media Is Beneficial but Must Be Used Cautiously
As you can see, social media provides limitless access to a repository of knowledge and information for research and ideas. Whether you are expecting a child, have a newborn, or have a group of toddlers, pre-schoolers, and teenagers, there are always new things to learn, stay informed about, and keep up with the rest of the world.
However, you should take extra precautions before sharing anything, especially baby photos. Also, keep in mind that when using social media, it’s best to take every piece of advice with a pinch of salt and only apply it if it’s appropriate and you’re comfortable with it.
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