As the world becomes increasing more digital, we must define what the future of communication looks like.
Nowadays, the lives of millions of people are always available through social medias. However, the lifestyles portrayed on social medias are often an airbrushed version of the truth. And after spending hours every week watching your friends living their best life in Europe or Influencers making new luxury purchase or extremely thin models seemingly so happy, it is impossible not to question “why doesn’t my life look like this?”
Everyone on social media is impacted by the air of comparison. According to the Pew Research Center, 69% of adults and 81% of teens in the U.S. use social media. Children and teens are the most effected by their social media. Research shows a high correlation between social media usage and depression, suicide ideation, and anger issues. So, what can parents do to protect their growing children from the negative effects of social media?
We highly recommend the following:
- * Educate yourself about the different social media platforms so you can have an educated discussions with your child
- * Have open conversations with your children about the risks of oversharing on social media and the importance of setting boundaries
- * Check their social media to ensure that what they post/view is appropriate
- * Limit phone usage, especially late at night
Our children are precious.
As parents, a part of our job is to educate and protect them from influences that could impact their mental health and well-being. We do not need to prevent them from communicating through media platforms, but we do need to be present enough to have open conversations and guide them in healthy ways
