Helpful Resources to Help Parents Establish Social Media Limits
When is the best age to introduce a cell phone? How do we keep our children safe and productive at the same time on the internet? How can social media help our children develop healthy relationships? How much is too much time playing games or doing homework on the computer? What problematic behaviors can parents identify so they know when to alert their doctor or other community helpers?
The answers to these questions change with the changing needs of our children and families, as well as when new things are developed by technology providers. Parents need dependable resources quickly.
As a pediatrician, I routinely consult Healthychildren.org, an American Academy of Pediatrics sponsored website, which quickly gives me up-to-date advice to share with parents. There is no better topic to share best practices with than media use. Here is a description of the quality of advice you will find here. “All HealthyChildren.org articles have been through a thorough medical review and approval process to ensure they are consistent with AAP guidelines and policy. We do not accept outside articles from non-AAP members.”
As parents and mental health providers, we strive to support our children to develop into happy, healthy, and motivated individuals. Social media, while it can be a wonderful place to keep in touch with family and friends, is a large contributor to increases in anxiety and depression in youth. It is our hope that with this newsletter and included resources, parents and caregivers will be empowered to help youth establish healthy boundaries and social media usage.
