At my son?s kindergarten graduation ceremony, when the teachers asked the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up, at least a few expressed high hopes of becoming ?YouTubers.? So it came as little surprise when, about a month later, my son set up some toys on the table and asked me to record a video of him to post on YouTube.
Honestly, I was reluctant. It?s one thing for him to watch YouTube videos, but an entirely different story when he wants to star in his own. But tons of kids are posting videos online these days. And I think there may be some benefits: Kids get to explore their creative side; learn about camera angles, lighting and video editing; and practise proper articulation.
Creating and posting videos can also offer a self-esteem boost, says Amanda Biggar, a teacher and mom of two. Her husband set up a YouTube channel for their six-year-old son, Brock, where he posts video game footage and commentary. ?If someone subscribes or likes his videos, it makes him feel good about himself,? she says. ?And he has a lot of fun making the videos.? Katie Rose?s three kids, ages four, six and eight, post videos of themselves opening and playing with toys, sorting them by colour, and doing pretend play and cultural folk dancing. The kids get a kick out of seeing their videos running with ads, which they feel makes their channel seem more legit (see ?How to make money from YouTube,? below).
But as with any social media site, there are risks to participating?and these risk...