The Real Reason We Should Keep Our Kids Off Social Media | The Matt Walsh Show Ep. 37

There is nothing good that can come of a child on social media. But many people miss the real danger. Let's talk about that.

[edchair]

I'm 50. Have 5 kids. Snapchat was too new for them, thankfully and the youngest one I took her smartphone. She thanks me for it today. Do not forget: they'll thank you for it.

[ComfortingGrace]

Yes!!! You hit the nail on the head once again. And the breakdown of the family, too many extra curriculars and both parents working I think are also huge problems. Parents are having no time with their kids to teach them and support them and build true relationships with them. So so sad.

[bpw]

Remember watching an interview on local TV with a visiting American professor talking about the levels of 'functional illiteracy'. During interview, he talked about a survey in America in 1963 asking teenagers where they got their 'values' from? The vast majority said, their parents and their churches. He said that the same survey was conducted in 1997, and the teenagers replied, the 'media' and 'their peers'...Right on the money again Matt. Saw in the paper a parent wrote a complaint to our 'Broadcasting Standards Authority', about why their 5 year-old, was exposed to a music video featuring 'date rape' on morning TV? The BSA response, (as always), 'Community standards have shifted, so this is now acceptable.'...Yep the social 'liberals' control the institutions alright. Dunkirk anniversary tomorrow....we'll see if Irish NO vote, can also save, 100s of thousands 'young lives' against the odds, and 'cultural tide'...Those saved 78 years ago tomorrow, did go on to 'defeat' the disrespect for human life, which was thing that separated the Nazis from 'civilised values'....up until pro-choice feminists placed 'disrespect for human life' at the centre of our own countries culture a mere 30 years after Dunkirk?...Happy Memorial Day weekend. Yes, when will will 'we' show 'ourselves' to be 'worthy' inheritors of 'their' sacrifice, and struggle for the 'values of civilisation'...Nah! Only 'my' life, 'my' rights, 'my' convenience...matters!

[peterrosqvist]

There’s a fine balance with maturity and exposure. If you show your kid something that they’re too immature for, it can mentally damage them, sheltering is likewise.

[jeradhill]

There's a couple of things I have wrong with this as a Conservative Christian. Family is extremely important and setting healthy boundaries is also extremely important. However, blocking your kids from knowing about certain Technologies will put them at a disadvantage. It will allow them to be educated by others instead when everyone else is using these Technologies. I would rather help my kids understand the pros and cons of using certain Technologies and help them understand the risks rather than block them and force them away from these Technologies. I know that what I was blocked from growing up I just saw it out elsewhere. I believed I had to go elsewhere. I was told no so often that I still don't look to my parents for advice, it's just habit now. I do not want my kids to think that the only way they will fit in in this world is if they seek worldly counsel. It is my job to learn these Technologies that will be a part of my children's future regardless of whether I want them to be or not so that I can teach them to use them responsibly or to avoid them if the risks outweigh the rewards.

[ChristianityExplained]

You may want to explore why these kids jump on social media. It may come as a shock but these kid do not have a home life, as you did. Sometimes, I've run into young people who say that they wish their parents would spend time with them. Perhaps, play a stupid video game with them. I've also run into to some people who are suffering from depression and pain and social media like YouTube is their escape. It seems the parents are unaware of the pain

[brinkman]

Snap chat is garbage. But I'd absolutely never try and take away their internet. Social media is not the only thing the internet is for.

[alexandrapotroghir]

You are so right, Matt!
I have 5 nieces and I see the side effects of social media on them. It's a disaster.
And I don't know how to help them anymore...

[jwfnfhx]

Rather than trying to force restrictions it is always better to teach children the reason that things are harmful to them. Of course when it comes to drastic subjects, parents need to set limits. The prevalence of social media can not be escaped in our culture. Have conversations with your children about it and how it may be bad or good. The most important thing in any relational dynamic is to keep relationship strong.

[WOTbuzzbomber]

Just sheltering your kids away from something (social media, public schools, etc) is not the way to do it. Educate them. Teach them right from wrong. Show them what is out there, but just sheltering and censoring them is setting them up for failure later in life when everyone else already has a head start and years of experience.

[EvolianTiger]

So when his kids see him using social media I guess he'll just say "I can and you can't. Don't ask why, it's because I said so."

And that always goes well with kids because they don't have a rebellious streak.

[candycorncrafts]

My friends and I are 14 so we are allowed to use most social media sites, and we only use Snapchat for private messaging each other and using the photo and selfie filters like the ones that make you look like dogs etc. It is clear that the media covers the scandalous and controversial side of everything, so I would not recommend determining my whole opinion of something on what you see online. In no way am I saying that I know everything about social media - I clearly don't - and I'm not saying social media isn't abused horribly every day - because it is. And I really do love Matt's videos because they really make me think. I just wish people would look at things themselves and stop being so critical and actually talk to each other and reason like human beings.

[candycorncrafts]

Also, an escape from my friends? Are you kidding? My friends and I will talk for hours and hours whether at the park or online things that matter like our faith and our doubts and our fears that our parents won't talk with us about in depth, and even if they do, they simply don't relate to us in the same way as our friends do. And my friends at least don't create a negative peer culture that blinds me to the truth; they aren't perfect in any sense but they are so much easier to talk with and they are actually really good Christian role models in my life. Now, I'm not saying family doesn't matter at all, because family is at the very core of civilization. I'm simply pointing out the way Matt speaks about every friend, ever, and how they are toxic and ruining kid's lives. A balance is clearly essential, but friendship is not the enemy here (nor family). Oh, and sorry for blabbing on so much, I suppose I'm just really passionate when it comes to things like this.

[minijcooper]

My husband was not allowed to have any social media or even a phone until he turned 18. I was 14 when I was allowed to have it and in some ways I wish my family had done the same but I don't see major negative effects in my life. I was a pretty careful kid. I know he is very thankful that his family did that and we plan on doing the same with out kids.

[bignigga]

Me: so wait what will all the people who watch porn do from now on? What's that you say get an actual life and get up off their duffs.

[ChuckTrump]

If you are reading this please understand it is never to early to teach your child networking skills. It is completely necessary in modern life and shouldn’t just be looked over because Matt can’t understand where the world is going because he’s to focused on what we were. You won’t find a person more stubborn than Matt Walsh.

[thebasementweeb]

I am homeschooled, and the oldest of 10. The youngest person in my family to have a form of social media is 15, and she just has email. And she's not on it constantly. I have email and Instagram. I have no desire to stare at social media all day. I like to talk to people, so I like talking over the phone when at all possible. My siblings like to play outside and read books and hang out with the neighbors. They're lively, wonderful kids. I think my mom is doing things right with us.

[kylirfisher]

Not understanding and not trying to learn are two different things

[DJColdCutz_]

I gotta get my kid on social media as soon as he can hold a screen so he can get internet famous, generate that ad revenue, and set his parents up for life!!

[brinkman]

This the same logic anti gun advocates use to argue against guns. Find a couple bad things and assume nothing good could come from it. You need to teach your kids to manage these things. Not shelter them from it.