TikTok is a popular social media app that is particularly popular with young people. The app is used to create and share short videos, and there are videos on all sorts of topics, from dancing and singing to humor and education. Officially, the app is only suitable for children aged 13 and older. But many children under this age still come into contact with it. So how do you deal with its use? And how do you get children to read again? We have several TikTok Tips for parents. You will also read more about the importance of reading. That's why we give you tips on how to keep TikTok usage safe and limited. And, of course, how to encourage reading. After reading this article, we hope you'll know how to do this.
Introduction: how to deal with TikTok?
As a parent, it can be difficult to keep track of what your child is doing on TikTok. The app can also pose risks, such as cyberbullying, hate speech, and misinformation. Therefore, it's important to guide your child in their use of TikTok. At the same time, many children spend hours on their phone or tablet, but reading comprehension gaps are increasingly emerging among children. That's why you naturally want to get them to read, and this is also very important.
The importance of reading
Reading is an important skill for children. It helps them to learn, grow, and understand their world. By reading, children can:
- Learn new words and grammar
- Develop their imagination
- Learn more about the world around them
- Improve their critical thinking skills
- Develop empathy
It is therefore important to limit the use of TikTok, otherwise, there will be insufficient attention to reading among children.
TikTok Tips for parents
- Talk to your child about TikTok. Ask your child what they like about TikTok and what they do on it. Explain to your child the risks associated with the app and how they can protect themselves.
- Create a TikTok account together. This way, you can see what your child sees and does on TikTok.
- Set limits for TikTok usage. For example, determine how much time your child can spend on TikTok per day.
- Install a parental control app. With a parental control app, you can monitor your child's use of TikTok.
Specific tips for parents on how to teach children about the risks of TikTok
- Make your child aware of TikTok's privacy settings. Ensure that your child has properly configured their profile settings, so that only people your child knows can see their videos.
- Teach your child how to protect themselves from cyberbullying. Explain to your child what cyberbullying is and how they can defend themselves against it.
- Watch the videos your child watches together. This way, you can help your child distinguish between good and bad content. Do they see something they don't like? Explain that they can immediately scroll past it. And also ask them to report it. This way, you can discuss it together.
Additional TikTok tips for parents
- Teach your child to critically evaluate the videos they see. Ask your child if they think the information in the video is correct.
- Teach your child to treat others on TikTok with respect. So explain to your child that everyone is equal, regardless of their background.
- Don't interfere too much with your child's use of TikTok. This gives your child the space to discover what they like about the app themselves.
Extra tip: do something other than TikTok? For example, bake together from a children's baking book.
Importance of reading in the context of TikTok
Reading is an important skill for children, also in the context of TikTok. By reading, children can better understand the videos on TikTok. They can better understand the context of the videos and they can better understand the language in the videos. This is also an important TikTok tip for parents, because if you explain this to your child, you can make them enthusiastic about reading.
In addition, by reading, children can learn more about the topics they see on TikTok. For example, they might see a video about a topic they don't know, and by reading, they can learn more about that topic. Because if they can read well, children can also more easily look up information themselves.
Finally, by reading, children can develop their imagination. This way, they can better empathize with the characters in the videos and they can invent new stories themselves.
Tips for parents to encourage children to read
- Make reading fun. And read together with your child, or choose a fun children's book together.
- Offer your child a varied selection of books. This way, you ensure that there are children's books that match your child's interests.
- Talk to your child about books. For example, ask your child what they thought of a book and why.
- Reward your child for reading. For example, give your child a sticker or a compliment when they have finished a book.
By following these tips, you can help your child become a reader.
Bonus tip: check your child's reading level and make sure you choose a children's book that matches it. But also see if you can make reading challenging by choosing increasingly difficult books. View our assortment and filter by age, type of book, and more.
Conclusion TikTok tips for parents
You can keep children's use of TikTok enjoyable and limit it with these tips. You can also simultaneously apply the tips to encourage reading. This way, they will hopefully put down their phone or iPad more often and opt for a nice book instead.
Want to choose a fun book together? Then check out our assortment and filter by age, topic, and types.
