If there is anything that the age of technology has taught us is that misinformation may spread faster than facts, and that can be concerning. So many of our teens and children spend a lot of their time online, interacting with friends and reading various social media posts. While this has its benefits, it can also come with some pretty serious warnings. The internet is a great place to learn and grow, but it can be worrying with the amount of misinformation that is out there.
Moms don’t want their children believing everything they read, and they want them to develop critical thinking skills and be able to think for themselves. To dive deeper into research to figure out what is the truth. This involves teaching them to think for themselves, a vital skill that everyone should have.
Media Consumption
According to Psychology Today, half of the problem is the amount of media that is available, and knowing which media is the “right” media. Mainstream Media is everywhere, and though they claim to be non-bias, a lot of them tend to lean more towards one side, and while this doesn’t mean the information isn’t quality, it does mean that it may not be the whole, entire story.
It is important that we teach our children to dig deeper into news stories or things they head on TV, or read about on Facebook. Teach them the difference between media, and medical documents. The ability to question what they are hearing/reading will help them be able to make their own mind up about what they perceive to be happening instead of blindly following what they are being told.
Keep Dialogue Open
Even though we want our children to think for themselves, a big part of thinking for yourself is having effective communication with peers. Since we are speaking about children, their “peers” are more than likely going to be their parents. According to Parents, it is important for mom and dad to be a part of the process. If they feel their child is interested in a particular story or event, have an open and honest conversation with them. Instead of telling them what has happened, ask them what they think happened and work from there.
Where Does Mom Start
One of the biggest problems with the internet and social media, is there is so much of it. There is almost too much information that it can be hard to digest and pick apart the information. If you have taught your child to always ask questions and to dig deeper, you are setting them up for a lifetime of searching. They will be able to question what they hear, and they will know where to go for evidence-based information.
A child who grows to be an adult who does not know how to think for themselves may find themselves misguided by what they read and unable to stand up for what they believe in. The ability to think for themselves is also going to help them see the world from other’s perspectives, which is going to help them gain a new understanding of the world around them and how it works.
Sources: Psychology Today, Parents