Limit kids’ social media time; self-worth doesn’t equal ‘likes’
It’s time to teach our children that the amount of “likes” they get does not equate to the value their life holds. In a time when child and adolescent mental health is in dire crisis, social media has proven to be addictive and further detrimental to mental well-being.
Pre-teens and teens spend an average of 6-9 hours per day online, and most of these adolescents are using social media accounts.
The big name social media companies have all been under fire recently for knowingly contributing to worsened mental health among youth. Our mental health services cannot keep up with the amount of children in need of help, especially if the current trends continue.
I urge you to take an active role in this matter: talk to your kids about their mental health and healthy boundaries to set when it comes to social media.
Mckenzie Nelson-schmidt, MD, Galloway