From the Headlines: Social Media & Kids 🎥

Brown University Professor and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jacqueline Nesi sat down with Editor-at-Large of TechRadar Lance Ulanoff at our NYC Digital Parenthood Summit to offer parental guidance on kids’ social media use. 

Here's Dr. Jacqueline Nesi’s advice on how to navigate the harms and benefits of kids being on social media, based on medical research. 

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While, based on data, we can’t conclude that social media alone causes a decline in mental health, the National Library of Medicine claims that “excessive screen usage can also lead to problems in social-emotional development, including obesity, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety. It can also impair emotional comprehension, promote aggressive behavior, and hinder social and emotional competence.” According to the American Psychological Association (APA), certain social media features are also “particularly risky” to youth wellbeing. So it’s essential that we take the steps to ensure that kids are benefiting from their online experiences, rather than being harmed.

3 key ways parents can improve their child’s social media experience

• Keep open lines of communication
  • Ask open-ended questions like “What was something you saw online today that interested you?” rather than interrogative questions like “What are you doing on your device all day?” By understanding not only what your child is doing on social media, but what social media is doing for your child, parents will be able to recognize any early signs of harm.
• Have rules, guardrails, and boundaries
  • Maybe this means no tech at the table, holding off on giving access to social media for a certain amount of time, or banning devices from bedrooms at bedtime. The right approaches can differ a lot between different families, so set boundaries that work for yours.
• Model the behavior you want to see
  • When parents pay attention to and limit their own internet and social media use, it makes a huge difference on kids’ screen time and how they behave online. If you banned your child from using devices at bedtime, set a good example by leaving your own devices outside your bedroom.

Watch Dr. Jacqueline Nesi’s full panel

Parents, wondering how to tell if your child’s mental health is being negatively affected by social media? Check out this article.