Digital forms of communication are an integral part of families today. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram allow busy families to keep in touch. With a new communication tool at their fingertips, tech-savvy grandparents can also enhance the wellbeing of their families.

Grandparents who lack experience with such platforms may not see its potential benefits and remain concerned about their online privacy. These tips can help grandparents safeguard their social media experience and connect better with their grandkids.

1. Be Mindful of Sharing Personal Information

When you upload photos of the family or personal anecdotes on social media, be mindful that you may be sharing personal information beyond family members and close friends. Avoid sharing any sensitive information such as full name, address, credit card numbers or personal account information. Be wary of scams and report anything that seems suspicious to you.

2. Manage Your List of Followers

One of the perks of social media is its ability to bring people together. As much as you would like to stay in touch with all of them, not everyone is equally close to you. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter provide the ability to create lists for different groups of friends or accounts that you follow. That way, you are creating different access for whom you share your personal life with.

3. Learn About Hashtags

There’s no easier way to keep up with trends than through hashtags. Hashtags allow users to identify messages on a specific topic easily by categorising them. They also enable you to access related content easily. Apart from gaining knowledge on what’s popular, grandparents can create unique hashtags for the family — making it a fun experience for family members to share content.

4. Be Patient with Growing Your Followers

Once you’ve created your account, give it time to gain followers. Avoid spamming your social media feed with public rants or jumping in on your grandkids’ conversations with their friends. Your grandkids may take some time to be comfortable sharing their personal life with you on social. Instead, post with integrity and honesty. Be known as the source of inspiration and guidance to your followers and watch as your social media relationships grow naturally.

With social media platforms at their fingertips, grandparents can now keep the conversation going with their grandkids no matter how far they are.

This story originally appeared on familiesforlife.sg