This is such a hot button topic for parents these days. I think we all understand that it’s not great for us as adults therefore, not awesome for our less wise children. The problem here is KEEPING THEM FROM IT.
These kids are smart. I could tell you some pretty impressive stories of my kids figuring out very inventive and skillful ways to break my rules- but I don’t want to give anybody any ideas. So how do we beat our kids at this game? Honestly, just do your best because constantly chasing this thing will make you look and feel crazy. Which is not helpful in raising kids…
The main point I want to make here is, if you find this struggle to be very prevalent for one or all of your kids, please ask them why. If they say they are missing out you need to be paying close attention. Studies show that people who have trouble with FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) are looking for the dopamine hit that comes along with social media. The reason for this is that their serotonin levels are low, i.e. depression. No need to panic and run them to the doctor today, just be observant and help them increase their serotonin levels naturally. Here are some easy ways to do that:
- Eat foods high in tryptophan along with a carbohydrate for absorption -turkey sandwich, salmon with rice, eggs and toast are all examples.
- Aerobic exercise, outside- a light walk, jumping on a trampoline, yoga in the grass. Both the exercise and the sunlight help increase serotonin
- Massage- you can rub your kids shoulders or feet if this feels natural in your family
- Journaling- this is a great thing to help everyone process feelings and replace time on your phone scrolling! It helps increase self-esteem and good cognitive-behavioral skills.
If you want more help in this area here is a good article.
If you do observe more symptoms of depression or anxiety in your child please seek professional help.
Overall, remember to stall on allowing social media for your kids. Their brains are not fully developed and it is so difficult to add so much information at once! But you also need to train them to use it wisely. News Flash: it’s not going away! This training should include all the warnings of scary people trying to kidnap them, the fact that the internet is forever, and that it can harm them emotionally. BUT it should include ways to use it appropriately, wisely and when to shut it off.
Good luck to you! If you find you need more support please reach out to me.