There is a point where you cant control kids, outside influences just become too much… My job isnt to shelter them at that point, but to teach them to navigate a world that doesnt care about them, while also teaching them to be confident in their choices and strong. You cant please everyone, but that doesnt mean you need to be an asshole or inconsiderate.

My older is approaching that. And my job will shift from one of protection to more advisory role with interventions only when absolutely necessary. It is what it is. Maybe my kids get bullied, actually its probable. Many bullies take out their frustration with homelife on others and my kids probably wont have too much of that to inflict on others. Ive seen it first hand. My parents were abusive by modern standards. I wasnt a bully myself (that I recall), but i didnt stand in the way of others that may have been. I was bullied to, probably not as much as others because I’m a bigger guy. But definitely because of my race.

What matters is how you deal with it and carry it. That said, moderation in all things will help. Mine wont be the first to have a cell phone, but probably not the last either. I dont plan to have any parental controls on there, they just teach deception and break trust. So whatever social media the kids are into will probably have my kids on it. The job isnt going to be to protect them from that, but to teach them to manage it and deal with it responsibly and keep their guard up.