A hidden diary under a mattress seems to be an outdated way to capture a day in the life of a teen. With 20 million Facebook users under the age of 18, teens are relying on Facebook to spill their guts and communicate with friends. 
The biggest Facebook conflict in many homes may be avoiding the “friend” request from your parents, or changing your privacy settings to prevent your mom from following your every move!
Although there are pros and cons to Facebook, the media tends to highlight the “scary” side—most likely, you know, someone who has shared too much private information, been bullied, or even stalked on FB.
Nowadays, parents are tracking their children’s Facebook activities as a way to monitor their behavior. A recent survey shows that 11 percent of parents joined Facebook purposely to “spy” on their teens, and 55 percent use it to “keep an eye on them.”
Monitoring Facebook activity might seem to give parents a heads up to potential problems, but I believe there is a fine line between open communication and invasion of privacy. Research shows that parents who closely monitor their children’s friendships and behavior become resilient adults, yet I believe this also means trusting them and allowing them to foster independence.
If a teenage girl doesn’t want her parent to log into her Facebook account, it doesn’t mean she’s up to something fishy or harmful. It’s developmentally “normal” for teens to want to keep some things private from their parents. I think the best way to make sure teens are making good choices is to have discussions about appropriate online use starting from a young age, as well as showing ongoing interest in their friends, hobbies, and feelings. And teens, you might want to consider friending your mom and dad; after all, what do you have to hide?
Read more about why parents should “friend” teen’s social media use by Bodimojo’s Dr. Tara.
Samantha Burns, a Boston area mental health counselor, recommends parents monitor their teens’ behavior with open communication, not sneaky facebook tactics!
