Most parents get their parenting advice from social media

By Isobel Williams via SWNS

Four out of five parents get their parenting advice from social media, a new study has revealed.

The research shows that social media has become a useful tool for a lot of parents with young children.

In addition, half of the parents studied rated social media as very useful for getting new ideas to try.

University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health Co-director Sarah Clark said: “Many parents turn to online communities to exchange advice or discuss parenting challenges because it may seem faster and easier than asking a health professional.

“Finding parent comradery in this space can have benefits but parents should keep in mind that every family’s experience is different and not everything they hear online may be accurate or the right thing for their child.

“Often there isn’t a clear ‘best’ way to do things and many parents use a trial-and-error approach to find what works for their child.”

The team studied responses from 614 parents with at least one child aged up to four years old.

They found that most mothers and more than two-thirds of fathers of children these ages look to social media for parenting advice or to share their experiences, which is a significant increase from their poll in 2015.

The most common discussions included toilet training, kids’ sleep, nutrition and breastfeeding, discipline, behavior problems, vaccination, daycare and preschool, and getting along with other kids.

Three-fifths of parents say they talk about these topics on social media because they want to hear different ideas while one in four say it’s convenient or they want to do things differently than their parents.

A few parents said they use these platforms because they don’t have family or friends nearby, don’t have enough opportunities to ask their child’s healthcare provider or are too embarrassed to ask in person.

More than a third of parents also rate social media as very useful for making them feel like they’re not alone.

However, not all parents enjoy this online takeover with almost 80 percent of parents feeling like people overshare on social media by bragging about their child or sharing too often or too much.

Nearly half also say they have seen parents post information that is false while more than a quarter have noticed some parents sharing inappropriate photos of a child’s body.

Clark continued: “Parents acknowledge concerns related to sharing too much about their kids on social media.

“Families should consider whether their child may one day be embarrassed about having personal information shared without their consent; a good rule is if you have any doubt, don’t share it.

“In addition, parents should consult with parents of other children in photos for approval before sharing them on social media.

“Before posting, think about whether you’re sharing enough information to get someone else's advice without giving away too much personal information about your family.

“It’s really about stopping and thinking before you post.”

There is a lot of emerging concern from parents about the amount of misinformation online and how to sort fact from fiction.

Two in five parents think it’s difficult to distinguish good versus bad advice on social media.

Clark added: “There are so many decisions to make about the best way to care for children during the infant and toddler years, which can be an exciting and overwhelming time.

“Social media is a convenient way for parents to seek information about parenting challenges in real-time, especially in between checkups.

"But it’s important that parents identify reputable sources of information about children’s health and parenting, and that they consult those sources before attempting new strategies with their own child.”