56 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JULY | AUGUST 2018 On social media, our kids are saying and doing a great deal of things that boggle our minds as parents. They are saying things to each other – and to the world at large – that they would never say otherwise. And many of our kids have found a voice, and perhaps not such a positive one, in the world of social media. They are saying things that are nothing short of stunning, when in their ‘real’ world, we can hardly get a word out of them. WHAT’S GOING ON? DEVELOPMENT We are looking at not fully developed kids, who are lacking in emotional maturity, social maturity and planning maturity – the ability to look at the consequences of their behavior. They have great language skills and facility, but communication in a social context requires more than just language ability. THEY FOLLOW THE CROWD They want to fit in, to be accepted by their peers. Sometimes desperately so. You mix that need with an immature brain, and we get a powder keg set up when we also have social media in the mix. A FEELING OF ANONYMITY Whenyouusesocialmedia,allthefacultiesthatmakeupface-to-face,gen- uine communication are not employed. It somehow feels safer. Safer than the true and sometimes messy communication that takes place in genuine conversation – where someone might disagree with you and might take issue with you. WHY ARE KIDS SAYING WHAT THEY SAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA? By Dr. Dean Beckloff | Contributor