4 Your Kids: Summer Break Calls For Safety On Social Media & With Electronics

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - School's out for summer!

And while the focus will be on fun in the sun, safety should be top of mind, too!

For the past few weeks, we've been focusing on summer safety '4 Your Kids,' and today, it's all about keeping them and their information secure on social media.

Children are spending more and more time on screens, up to seven hours a day, in some cases between TVs, tablets and phones.

And we can't forget the social component.

Even some video games allow them to interact with other people anywhere in the world.

While they may be on a break from school, that doesn't mean your rules for screen time and social media should take a vacation.

In fact, it's important to stay as vigilant as ever.

"Parents really need to set limits on social media and anything electronic and also make sure that they look at the content," said Dr. Kristie Rivers with the Salah Foundation Children's Hospital at Broward Health.

Dr. Rivers says doctors have seen an increase in anxiety and depression in kids because of social media, so guidelines and restrictions are critical.

"Experts recommend no more than two hours a day on screens. For a small child, that may be even less," Dr. Rivers said. "You want to make sure you know what they are looking at. Don't use the screens as a babysitter. Sit down with them. It's a good time to bond with your child. For older kids, make sure that computers or tablets are out in the main common area so you have a better handle of what they're looking at."

It's not just what they're seeing, but what they're saying.

Make sure your kids know that personal information should not be shared on social media.

Dr. Rivers says parents should even have their child's passwords.

Bottom line: limit their access within reason, but also, talk to your kids about what they're posting and seeing on social media and how it makes them feel.