Why I Don’t Promote Social Media for Young Children
One of the strongest boundaries I have held as a mother is around social media and my children. It’s not a popular stance, and it’s often misunderstood, but it is a deliberate one. I really do not promote young children having social media, and I never did with my own children, so I witnessed the difference.
When my children were younger, they did not have tablets or phones, and they did not go online much or have social media accounts. This was not because my husband and I wanted to control them, but because we wanted to protect them from various issues.
Childhood is a fragile, formative time where young hearts are soft and young minds are impressionable. Kids’ identities are still being shaped by their environment and the people around them.
Islam honors this stage by placing the responsibility on parents to guard not just their children’s physical safety but also their emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
As we all know, social media is not a neutral space. It exposes children to comparison before they even know who they are. It teaches them to seek validation through likes and attention, and it blurs boundaries between private and public life. For a developing mind, this can be deeply destabilizing.
I have noticed that parents who allow their children to go online early exhibit more negative behaviors. These kids display more anxiety, insecurity, shortened attention spans, and emotional overwhelm. Some parents even misdiagnose these traits as personality disorders like ADHD and ADD when it is simply overstimulation from devices, gaming, and the web.
Alhamdulillah, we raised our children without that noise, and it has really made a difference. What I find even more interesting is that even as they have grown into young adults, they are naturally shy around social media. They are not fearful of it, but cautious, and they see what a toxic place it can be. They’ve observed how it affects their mood, self-worth, focus, and peace, and they don’t feel the need to narrate their lives or seek validation from strangers.
That didn’t happen by accident.
When children grow up grounded in real relationships, real conversations, and real responsibility, the online world loses its false appeal. When they are taught that their value comes from Allah SWT, not from attention, they are less vulnerable to the traps of comparison and performance.
Islam does not tell parents to raise children for public consumption. It guides us to raise kids with good character, responsibility, and accountability. The Prophet SAW taught us to nurture their hearts, not their egos, and to protect their modesty, not expose it.
Giving children unrestricted access to social media too early often does the opposite. It hands them adult spaces before they have adult tools. It introduces them to opinions, images, and pressures they are not equipped to process.
This doesn’t mean children will never engage with the online world. It means timing matters, guidance matters, and boundaries matter. A child who is delayed from going online is not going to feel deprived or miss anything important; rather, they will be protected and shielded from fitna that they are too young to comprehend
As parents, we don’t need to follow trends or family and friends to be wise. We don’t need to fear our children missing out on what other children are exposed to. What they miss out on online, they gain in peace, focus, confidence, and emotional safety.
Not every door that is open should be entered. Not every platform needs to be explored. And not every freedom benefits a child. Raising children who are comfortable offline is one of the greatest gifts we can give them in an age that profits from distraction. And perhaps the greatest sign of success is this: when they grow up, they don’t crave the very thing they were protected from; they understand it.
If you have allowed your child to go online too early, don’t despair; you can still fix it. It may be tough at first because your child will go through withdrawal and feel anxious and bored. But I have seen how children need just a few days to detox, and then slowly over time, they improve, and you will notice instant improvement in their behavior, inshallah—it’s never too late!
May Allah SWT guide us to raise righteous children who are grounded, aware, and protected in their hearts long before they step into the wider world, ameen.
Salaam, I’m Zakeeya
I believe our homes are meant to be havens of sakina—places where families feel safe, nurtured, and loved. Since 2011, I’ve been dedicated to helping Muslim women find tranquility in their roles, care for themselves with dignity, and achieve inner peace. Drawing on my years of experience as a wife, mother, and mentor, I share tools and guidance to help you face life’s challenges with more gratitude and mindfulness. Here, you’ll find Muslima, wifehood, motherhood, and lifestyle insights to make your journey as a woman more fulfilling, inshallah. Read more about me here.
Get Support For Your Struggles
You don’t need to suffer alone
Life’s tough, but so are you. You simply need direction and help from someone experienced, empathetic, and understanding.
