The emergence of technology and social media has created a new generation of children experiencing life through a phone-based existence. Although technology has increased the level of ease in our lives, it poses a threat to adolescents and their mental health. Data shows that teen girls spend 20 hours a week on social media. Social media is particularly harmful to girls because it focuses on and exacerbates the worst parts of middle school and growing up (ie. social comparison, emphasis on appearance, and insecurities). The story is a different page but the same book for boys, who tend to overindulge in porn, and video games causing them to withdraw from society and act out in violence and aggression.
The result of technology and social media on kids’ mental health has been disastrous, causing sleep deprivation, social deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, and spiritual degradation. The effects of technology have created the most depressed and anxious generation of children in history.
The issue at hand affects kids across the US calling for larger collective action problem-solving. Most parents are fed up with their children’s technology use and aren’t sure where to turn. A big problem in parenting is that many parents are under-protecting their children online but over-protecting them in the real world. Both halves of the equation must be addressed. To combat negative mental health consequences, parents should delay allowing their children smartphones and social media until their teen years (roughly 16), and encourage unsupervised childhood play. If parents in every community begin to implement these rules it becomes easier for other families to follow suit. This chain reaction is the solution to the collective action problem facing our children and future generations. Although the reality is bleak, there is hope for reversing this dilemma and it’s up to us. Check out this link for more!
