A mother says “Social media becomes about fitting in and showing off, just at a time when [children’s] self-esteem becomes more fragile as they become more self-conscious” (Report, 4 January). That is, as they move to secondary school. This has always been the time when children care more about fitting in. I cared about fitting in during my teens. I agonised about getting my hair to flick up properly (1960s). Young relatives cared about fitting in as they agonised over dancing in public in case they were mocked (1980s). Plus, I remember, agonising over any little thing that might mark you out as different in some way. It was ever thus and probably always will be. If parents think stopping their child from learning to handle this pressure is helpful, they should think again. Social media isn’t going away and children will have to learn to use it in the end. Zoe Williams makes much the same point (The kids are all right, G2, 4 January).
Kathleen Morris
Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire
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