Experts debate on whether or not you can become addicted to social media. An over-reliance on anything can affect your mood and your relationships. Since adolescents are by nature glued or “addicted” to their social network, it can be difficult for parents to know for sure if their tween/teen’s social media use is normal or not.
Problems arise when no boundaries are in place and your child is connected 24-7. An over-reliance on social media can drive insecurities, anxiety and affect mood.
Here are some signs that your child might need a break from his social network.
- Texting and social media is getting in the way of quality sleep.
- Chores and other responsibilities aren’t being completed.
- Experiences excessive social drama, including bullying, exclusion and isolation.
- Any time your teen is apart from his phone, he gets stressed about what he might be missing out on.
- Has trouble being present in the moment.
- Online connections become a distraction from focusing on homework.
- Poor performance at school and a drop in grades.
- Prefers online interactions to face-to-face get-togethers.
- Shows signs of depression.
Take these steps to prevent social media from dominating your child’s life:
- Role model healthy tech use yourself.
- Reinforce boundaries like no-tech zones at home, in the car, at bedtime or around the dinner table. These boundaries help encourage face-to-face interaction and help your child concentrate on the present moment or tasks at hand.
- Periodically have the family take a social media and/or technology vacation. Even a short weekend unplugged can help families reconnect, unwind and create space for other interests.
- Treat social media as a privilege and take away access if it is interfering in your child’s life. Reintroduce it gradually and monitor carefully.
- Know which social media platforms your child is using. Have access to her social media account passwords and periodically check in at random.
- Keep computers in a centralized location in your home and require all phones to be turned into a main charging station at night.
- Don’t allow your child to lie about his age. Most popular social media platforms require that users are at least 13 years old in accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Your child won’t take you seriously about digital integrity if you don’t consistently insist on following the rules.
- Encourage your child to get involved in extracurricular activities that nurture social skills.
Portions of this post is excerpted from my book Happy, Healthy & Hyperconnected: Raise a Thoughtful Communicator in a Digital World. To learn more, click here.
Do you think breaks from social media are important? Why or why not?
