We also take time each week to talk about our online lives. Many adults don't realise just how 'online' their children are, and how rich the social networks are on WhatsApp and other messaging platforms. While these are a useful tool for communication, they also open the door to a lot MORE communication than is available to the children in a face-to-face setting. These apps are frequently a lot more private than children's real life relationships. They have become a complex social setting for children to navigate.
In class, we try to tease apart any difficult situations that have arisen and how they would best be handled.
Parents, please take the time to chat to your child about these apps and their friendships on them. They are probably a lot more involved than you realise.