Children are growing up in a digital age like we’ve never experienced before. How do we know when is “enough” screen time or when too much social media is being used? Social media and technology can help your child stay connected with family, friends and peers, but all that information can also be overwhelming. Excessive social media use can lead to problems like isolation, loneliness and reduced in-person social contact. Here are some pros and cons of your child’s use of social media and technology in today’s digital age.
Per
- Can promote healthy connections with others who share similar identities, skills, and interests.
- Highlight skills, work and creativity that can lead to improved self-esteem.
- Opportunity to develop digital literacy and security skills.
- Explore interests and learn new ones.
Disadvantages
- Social media can affect your well-being by creating unnecessary anxiety.
- Bad habits like scrolling through the news feed for an unhealthy amount of time (also known as “doom scrolling”) or making unrealistic comparisons with others.
- Cyberbullying can have real consequences, such as trauma, depression, insomnia, or worse.
- Over-reliance on digital interaction can make it difficult to connect with peers in person.
Are you concerned about your child’s interaction with technology? Try these conversation starters:
Think about how you feel as you scroll through your feeds. Does it make you happy to see what your friends are sharing? Or does it make you depressed? Knowing the impact social media has on your child can help them decide if they need to change the way they use it.
Encourage them not to compare their daily lives with the online lives of others. Usually, people post about the good things in their lives. It’s less common to see people talking about everyday problems or disappointments. For example, you’re more likely to see pictures of a high school couple’s romantic date than pictures of the fight they had during band practice. Even if what you see is a true story, remember that it’s never the whole story.
Give them the option to unfollow or hide feeds that stress them outMake it clear to them that they don’t have to feel guilty about it. They can still get information without having to absorb all the information that comes their way.
Track the time your child spends on social media or technology. You can track time with an app or manually. If you or your child don’t like the total of those minutes, look for better ways to use that time. Sometimes it can be helpful to make a comparison. For example, “Spend an hour on Facebook or an hour playing basketball?” or “Watch videos for an hour or learn guitar chords for an hour?”
Follow the feel-good stuff. Try to help your child find balance by focusing on things that bring them joy. Teach them to follow social media accounts that focus on their interests or things that make them laugh. Explore new topics together and see what you find out. Like weird houseplants? There’s a group for that. Want tips for homework help? You and your child are not alone.
Set a time when you will leave. Make sure your child takes time to unwind. Have them close their apps and turn off the TV. Read a book, go outside, play games, exercise with the family, or text a friend and invite them over. Make sure it’s something that feels supportive to the child and worth their time.
Help your child engage in activities outside of social media and technology to build meaningful social connections. to maintain your child’s positive social interactions throughout their life.
We are here to help.
If you would like your child to meet with one of our behavioral health specialists to discuss social media and technology use or to learn more about monitoring your child’s mental health and well-being, visit us online and schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
