Navigating Electronics and Social Media After Divorce

According to People.com, Kanye West said he doesn’t want his children on the social media app, TikTok. One common issue parents don’t think of after a divorce is how to navigate making decisions on their children’s social media and electronic use. Divorcing parents often disagree about schooling and bedtimes, but screen time, electronics, and video games are often overlooked. The issue Kanye West is having is not wanting his child on social media but not knowing how to solve this problem when his children are in the care of their mother, Kim Kardashian, part of the time. Let’s discuss some tips on how to navigate these common problems.

Setting clear boundaries. A great idea would be to discuss with your co-parent and come up with some type of system you can each put in place so when your child(ren) are with each of you, there is consistency in the boundaries set as it relates to electronics and social media. It becomes difficult to implement a routine with your child when the same routine is not followed at their other parents’ home.

Model the behavior you want to see in your child. Monkey see, monkey do. As parents, we too are frequently on our devices whether it be for work or fun. You should do your best to model the behavior you are trying to implement to your children. You cannot expect your child to give up time with their electronics when they are seeing you consistently on yours.

With electronics comes costs. You may not know who should pay for your child’s cell phone bill or Xbox games. Believe it or not, a common topic to include in parenting plans is who is going to bear the costs of the children’s cell phone bills. This can be situated in any way you and your co-parent so choose. You can split the costs or have one parent pay the bills. Every financial situation is different so choose an option that works best for you and your family.

Now let’s talk about social media. In this day and age, children of all ages are on social media. Parents may disagree about what age they feel is appropriate for their child to have access to social media platforms. The best way to overcome your differences is to speak about them. Have an open conversation with your co-parent about what age you feel is acceptable, what platforms are allowed, and any other boundaries you want set. Social media exposes children to so much information that it is important to have these discussions to keep your children safe and to ensure both parents are comfortable.