Guide Kids on Social Media

My child wants to use social media and I'm not sure how to handle it — outright banning it feels counterproductive but I have real concerns.

Child's age: [AGE]
What they're asking for: [Instagram / TikTok / Snapchat / YouTube / other]
My main concern: [content they'll see / who they'll talk to / time it'll consume / comparisons and mental health]
What their peers are doing: [everyone's on it / mixed / some have it]
My current position: [not yet / limited use / they already have it — reviewing how it's going]

Help me make a good decision:
1. **The research on social media and children at this age** — what the evidence actually shows
2. **The platforms compared** — which are higher risk and why
3. **If I allow it — the safety settings and rules to put in place from day one**
4. **The conversation to have with them** — about comparison, predators, and what to do if something goes wrong
5. **How to monitor without destroying trust** — the balance
6. **Signs it's becoming a problem** — and what to do if it does

My child wants to use social media and I'm not sure how to handle it — outright banning it feels counterproductive but I have real concerns.

Child's age: [AGE]
What they're asking for: [Instagram / TikTok / Snapchat / YouTube / other]
My main concern: [content they'll see / who they'll talk to / time it'll consume / comparisons and mental health]
What their peers are doing: [everyone's on it / mixed / some have it]
My current position: [not yet / limited use / they already have it — reviewing how it's going]

Help me make a good decision:
1. **The research on social media and children at this age** — what the evidence actually shows
2. **The platforms compared** — which are higher risk and why
3. **If I allow it — the safety settings and rules to put in place from day one**
4. **The conversation to have with them** — about comparison, predators, and what to do if something goes wrong
5. **How to monitor without destroying trust** — the balance
6. **Signs it's becoming a problem** — and what to do if it does