No one could ever dispute that social media has been by far one of the greatest things to ever have existed in the 21st century. You don’t have to look very far these days to find a preteen or teen glued to their phone texting and scrolling through social media.
Just like many things social media has advantages and disadvantages. Social media has indeed broken many barriers and allows us to stay connected to family and friends all over the globe. Unfortunately, it has also taken a huge toll on today’s youth. For most teens it’s difficult to remember living in a world without technology. They cannot imagine a world without the internet, which allows them to use apps and social media.
According to Today’s Parents.com the average age that kids get their first cellphone is at the age of 10, with nearly 40 percent of kids having a social media account by the age of eleven. This generation of today’s kids feels the need to share everything on social media. For them, response to their posts, such as “likes,” and “comments”, are taken very seriously.
Various social media accounts such as Instagram have created many unrealistic beauty standards and more materialistic possessions. Which has caused many teens to compare their lives to others, all because of what is showcased or seen on these social media apps. Resulting in many preteens or teens to alter their appearances, engage in negative behaviours, and accept risky social media challenges to gain attention in the name of “likes,” “comment”, and “number of followers”.
According to a research done by Childmind.org, “heavy social media use has been linked to increased depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem among kids.” Which therefore prevents the development of some social skills and direct communication skills. Today’s kids spend more time connecting on social media, instead of building social skills and having conversations in person, this may result in many of them lacking knowledge on how to read body language, facial expressions, or vocal infections.
Social media is a major distraction which leads to the lack of sleep and poor academic performances.
According to Today’sParents, which advises parents to monitor their kids’s technology usage because kids may stay up late without their parent realising they are not asleep. Although it is difficult to monitor your kids social media usage, as you may not be with your kids 24 hour of the day which is why it is super imperative from early child to install in your kids that “social media is a resource and not a necessity.”
Also see :Why you should teach kids to be smart on social media
