Social media isn’t just connecting teens. It’s also leading to higher rates of depression and anxiety. Time spent connecting online can make even seasoned adults feel like everyone we know is having a more successful, joyous, fulfilling life than we are. And for teens, the need to stay connected, the pressure to respond appropriately, and the inevitable reminders of events and interactions they were not invited to be part of all lead to a new level of social pressure that most parents can’t relate to based on our own teenage years.
Parents, if you’re concerned about the time your teen is spending online and/or the associated effects, and if you’d like to take some productive parental measures to mitigate what seem to be a host of negative consequences in the digital age, here’s an interesting article from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, “Social Media and Teen Anxiety: How parents can help their kids navigate the pressures of their digital lives — without pulling the plug on the positives.”