HOUSTON – We all know that most of today’s youth are obsessed with their digital devices.
Research shows the effects social media and digital devices can have on children’s brains and their mental, emotional and physical health.
But, social media isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, every day there’s some sort of new app or device coming out.
So, how do you navigate a healthy relationship with your kids and technology?
Adriana and Jerry Polaseck, parents to a 16-year-old, 12-year-old and 10-year-old, said they are trying to find a balance in productive parenting and embracing the new way kids tend to socialize.
“They think the world will be over because they don’t have a device and can’t entertain themselves. They don’t understand that we didn’t have that,” Adriana said.
Many other parents are also struggling to find a balance.
From the edited, filtered and unrealistic beauty standards to creating body image issues for teens who are constantly comparing lifestyles, mother of two, Lana Taylor, says she’s not giving in to social media.
“They have games and they text with friends, but we have not gone down the road with social media,” Taylor said.
She said her biggest fear about social media is the negative and intense pressure it puts on children.
University of Houston Associate Professor Dr. Amanda Venta studied adolescent-parent relationship effects and says the research is clear, kids respond well when they feel like they can talk openly with their parents without being judged.
“This is part of childhood and adolescence now and it’s one that’s not going anywhere,” Venta said. “Asking in an open way like, ‘How do you feel when you get off that site? How do you feel when you stop using it? Do you feel welcomed and appreciated in that space?’”
Venta said even schools and after-school sports teams are using texting and apps to update sports schedules or upload assignments, which shows social media can be helpful as well.
“There are kids who are able to find community online that can’t find it on the sports field or school, and taking away their phone may have a negative effect and parents don’t realize it,” Venta said.
To make things healthy, Venta suggested parents create a social media contact and have kids create goals, rules and consequences.
If this doesn’t work, Venta says try experimenting in small doses, over summer break, one app at a time or on an adult’s phone so you can monitor things.
And if screen time is your big concern, try a weekly digital detox by putting phones in another room so nobody can hear them vibrate or ring.