Technology and Social Media

TECHNOLOGY'S ROLE AND IMPACT

The digital world has become fully submersed into today's youth culture, offering them unprecedented access to information, educational tools, and global communication. However, with these advantages come challenges in mental health, time management, and maintaining real-world connections.

What we're seeing:

Advantages: Enhanced learning experiences, global connectivity, and opportunities for digital creativity.

Challenges: Over-dependence on technology, disruptions in sleep patterns, and diminished face-to-face social interactions. Spending too much time on technology can create isolation from their peers and family as well.

Guidance and Support:

Screen Time Limits: Establish and maintain designated technology-free hours, especially during family time and before bedtime.

Educate and Engage: Familiarize yourself with the platforms, apps, and games your child gravitates towards. Encourage discussions about their online experiences.

Promote Offline Balance: Advocate for outdoor activities, physical hobbies, and direct interpersonal engagements

NAVIGATING SOCIAL MEDIA

What we're seeing:

Positives: Building of communities based on shared interests, platforms for self-expression, and avenues for learning about global events and cultures.

Pitfalls: Rise in cyberbullying, tendency to seek validation through online metrics (likes, comments), and feelings of inadequacy fueled by constant comparison.

Supporting and Empowering Smart Choices:

Open Communication: Cultivate an environment where your child feels comfortable sharing their online interactions, both positive and challenging.
Positive Reinforcement: Focus on and reward good behaviors, rather than just penalizing the undesired ones.
Emphasize Digital Privacy: Ensure your child understands the importance of privacy settings, and the potential risks of sharing personal information online. Explain to your child the risks associated with photo sharing and location settings on their devices especially with people that they do not know. Whatever we put online cannot be removed, it is a parent's job to teach being a good digital citizen.
Celebrate Authenticity: Reinforce the value of genuine connections and authenticity over curated online personas. Encourage breaks from social media to engage with the immediate world.