How parents should handle teens’ use of social media
Parents should practice social media training with their children to help them be more thoroughly informed about the pros and cons of using the platforms.
According to new guidelines from the American Psychological Association, parents should practice social media training with their children to help them become more thoroughly informed about the pros and cons of using the platforms.
The recommendations were developed by research psychologists who investigated the implications of increased social media use among young people.
“We use psychological science to educate and empower parents to look at steps they can take to help our children feel safer and more connected,” says Thema Bryant, president of the American Psychological Association.
Children should be taught at an early age to question the veracity of what they see on social media, researchers said.
“Just because they read or hear something on social media doesn’t mean it’s true,” Bryant said. “They need to have those critical thinking skills so they can think for themselves and also come back to their parents and other trusted adults to verify information.”
Another recommendation was that children should be informed “explicitly and repeatedly” that their social media behavior is likely to generate data that will be stored and shared for commercial purposes.
“It’s really important for young people to be aware of how they’re being targeted with certain ads,” Bryant said.
The recommendations called for broad adult monitoring of social media content, particularly when children are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Parents were encouraged to routinely screen for signs of “problematic social media use” that could impair their ability to perform daily routines, including a tendency to use social media, even if it interferes with necessary tasks or leads to less sleep. leads at night.
Data suggests that using technology within an hour of bedtime is associated with sleep disturbances.
“It’s important for parents to establish those boundaries so that there can be healthy sleep schedules and healthy rest,” Bryant said. “It’s so important that we start those conversations because we don’t want to wait for things to escalate.”
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