6/15/2023 0 Comments Dark and light taming idsIt’s always better to be honest and say, “I have plans,” than to lie and say, “My mom won’t let me,” and take the risk of getting caught. Encourage your child not to lie or make excuses to one friend and then do something else with another, especially when you may later post photos of that encounter online. With their lives constantly on display, it’s a challenge for even well-intentioned tweens or teens to avoid making others feel excluded. You may need to amend this for the older user, but it is a great discussion starter and starting point: Cell Phone Contract For Your Tween or Teen. Here’s our version of a Cell Phone Contract. There can be no arguing about the rules if they are in black and white. This also means never giving out private information if a stranger could obtain that content. Make sure your teen knows that their “friends” list will not adhere to the same standards of discretion about your life as you expect, particularly when hitting the forward key is so simple. My mantra is if you don’t want your grandmother to know about it, don’t post it on social media. ![]() That means even your BFF can have poor judgment or make the mistake of forwarding a private text or photo merely by hitting the wrong button. Unfortunately, the part of the brain that manages impulse control is not fully formed until our twenties. Privacy means different things to everyone. ![]() Also, make sure you stringently enforce the rules and enact stiff penalties for breaking them. Just like the seat belt is a layer of protection from an automobile crash, accessing social media protects teens online. Second, possessing the logins is the same as wearing a seat belt in an automobile. ![]() I akin every post to standing up in the lunch room and shouting your message out to the entire student body. First, social media is not meant to be private. Openly tell them you will regularly check their social media accounts. Many parents often struggle with the moral issue of spying on their kids, which is why I suggest not doing it. While you may hear some initial complaining, these “phone breaks” are a great way to show your teen can survive without their phone or checking social media. Movie night, trips to Starbucks, shopping, baking, family dinners, and studying can and should be done without a phone in hand. Enforce certain days/times when they must put their phones down for a few hours (which means you too, Mom & Dad). Many teens are addicted to their phones, and FOMO (fear of missing out) is a real issue for them. Ensure your teen charges their phone in a room other than their bedroom, and in extreme circumstances, shut the home WiFi off at a specific, pre-determined time. Not only does the light cause our kids’ brains to stay awake, but many studies suggest scrolling social media before bed can increase anxiety and depressive thoughts. A major cause of teenage depression is the lack of sleep our teens get. This doesn’t mean parents can’t impact their child’s use of their smartphones and social media, however. Making social media a forbidden fruit never works out. Kids can feel isolated from their peers without a phone since teens often make plans via texting or social media.Īnd we all know that if a teen truly wants to do something, he or she is going to try to figure it out on their own. Parents can better communicate with their children when away from home. Many high school students need web-enabled devices to complete or access coursework. Unfortunately for moms and dads, merely saying: “I won’t give my child a smartphone or let them have social media accounts” is no longer a rational answer. One thing is certain, neither parents, teachers, nor school administrators fully understand how to keep a pulse on the teens when most of the drama appears on an inaccessible screen. Teachers struggle with getting students to put their phones away, and many teens are texting or posting bullying or negative comments while the class is in session! In the first episode, the issues staff have in dealing with students and their cell-phone related problems, particularly during class time, are alarming. The show follows seven young adults, ages 21 to 26, posing as students at a Kansas high school. It’s no surprise how pervasive social media is for modern teens, but just how much damage is its excessive use causing our kids?Īccording to the new A&E documentary “Undercover High,” the answer is alarming. It is no coincidence that this is the same year when the proportion of Americans owning a cell phone surpassed 50 percent – and the generation now known as the iGen was born. ![]() Rates of teenage depression and suicide had skyrocketed. In 2012, Jean Twenge, a psychologist whose primary research is in generational differentiation, noticed a seismic shift in teen behavior and emotional states. Is Your Kid’s Social Media Usage Out of Control? Do You Worry It May Be?
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