Parents’ Islamic Educational Strategies for Teaching Children to Manage the Negative Effects of Social Media

Abstract

This study aims to examine the strategies employed by parents in guiding children’s social media use. The study employed a qualitative method with a case study approach. The participants consisted of parents and children aged 10–15 years who actively used social media and were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. The data were analyzed through the stages of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, while data credibility was established through source and technique triangulation. The findings identified four main strategies employed by parents in guiding children’s social media use: i) active parental guidance and open dialogue; ii) rules and time restrictions on social media use; iii) parental modeling in digital interaction; and iv) moral and religious value internalization. These findings indicate that parental guidance in children’s social media use involves not only restrictions but also communication, modeling, and value-based education to foster responsible digital behavior.