It is important for parents to respect teenagers' autonomy, have open discussions with children about their digital experiences, and improve digital literacyJakarta (ANTARA) - Clinical Psychologist of Children and Adolescents Vera Itabiliana Hadiwidjojo accentuated the importance of parents increasing digital literacy to facilitate improved supervision on the use of social media.
Currently, Indonesian youth are a digital native generation born when technology has developed. Hence, children tend to demand freedom and independence in exploring several possibilities, including on social media.
"It is important for parents to respect teenagers' autonomy, have open discussions with children about their digital experiences, and improve digital literacy," Hadiwidjojo noted during the discussion titled "#AnakIndonesiaAmanDigital" here on Tuesday.
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Parents should develop digital understanding, so that they can also provide assistance to children looking to use social media as well as stay abreast of developments in cyberspace.
Moreover, parents need to change the understanding that social media is a source of negative energy. Parents should understand that social media can also be a platform to express talent.
Hadiwidjojo underlined the need for parents to also follow or become followers of the accounts of their children's idols. This is useful for opening communication, so that in future, it will become easier for children to share stories, as they have the same preferences.
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"Since children already have their own world, it is important for parents to know what accounts their children follow. This will be useful when parents chat with children. This can be a bridge to monitor and an opportunity to communicate," she remarked.
Furthermore, she affirmed that the main purpose of social media supervision by parents is to allow children to have better self-control in future and thereby conduct self-monitoring.
Thus, in future, parents can ease their supervision of children and trust them in the use of social media.
"The biggest challenge is how parents place trust on their children and the possibility of a violation," the psychologist stated.
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Translator: Katriana
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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