As my twin tweens entered middle school this fall, my husband and I gave them their own cell phones. It’s an exciting time for my kids as they broaden their horizons by communicating more freely with their friends by texting and sharing digital media on apps like Instagram. That’s why  I am participating in the #ShareAwesome digital advocacy campaign, sponsored by National PTA and LifeLock. The campaign’s focus is to encourage an open and dynamic conversation between kids and adults about ways to share fun digital content in a safe and positive way.

My kids really like expressing themselves online through their own blog and through their own personal Instagram accounts. But while letting them expand their horizons online and through social media is a positive experience, I think about what I can do to protect them. (As all moms do!)

To keep my kids safe, I only allow them to have private Instagram accounts (so only approved family members and friends can see their posts), and I monitor their accounts regularly to see what they are posting. I also make it a point that they don’t post any selfies to protect their identities.

While it has made me nervous as a mom for my kids to get involved with social media and to spend more time online, it has been fun, as well. This summer, we took a lot of fun day trips together, and we had a great time sharing memories of our travels together on Instagram. My kids loved sharing their memories and photos with their friends!

Enter to Win #ShareAwesome

The National PTA and LifeLockT want to encourage students to share smart and safe decisions, uplifting accomplishments and good deeds for others by using hashtag #ShareAwesome on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Students who enter a photo between September 15 – November 30, 2014 will be eligible to win fantastic prizes, including tablets and a $2,500 scholarship! Contest entrants are encouraged to share a photo showing an awesome moment in their day on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the #ShareAwesome hashtag. Visit ShareAwesomeNow.org to learn more!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.