Mental health professionals urge early conversations with children regarding social media

Mental health professionals urge early conversations with children regarding social media

Well, it’s something that’s deeply integrated into our everyday lives. We’re talking about screen time and social media. Now, whether we use it for entertainment or just to learn something, social media can also have a downside, especially for children. Which is why counselors are urging parents to have conversations about social media with their kids even before you think about handing your child a smartphone. Who has phones? Everybody, we asked a group of students ages 11 through 14 about phone use and social media. And they were quick to point out the benefits of social media apps from sparking creativity to making connections. Can like talk with your friends and stuff cuz I live very far away from my friends. I like Pinterest because like when you’re bored, you can look at things to do. You can keep in touch with your friends and also yeah like you can find new ideas. Really just like communicate with your friends. And it’s just fun cuz like it’s something you can do when you’re bored. There’s a conversation I think that is ongoing. Clarity Child Guidance Center program director Rick Edwards says it’s fine for kids to engage in social media to have screen time. But the key here, he says, is that this is not the only thing they should be doing. engagement in the community, whether it’s getting outdoors with play or sports or just being out with peers, there’s an opportunity that physically the endorphins get activated. The downside, Edward says, is when social media impacts eating and sleeping or when it becomes a child’s only social interaction. That’s why he says it’s important to have a balance. And it really is, particularly as kids get older, an ongoing kind of conversation that should start way before a kid ever gets on to any kind of media platform whatsoever. And the best way to help your child is getting off the screen yourself. It’s not simply, oh, well, do as I say, not as I do, so I have to be off the device. Well, that’s right. We have to be the example as parents out there. So, you can catch our KET community town hall, social media SOS, the effects of social media on children. That’s happening tomorrow at 2 PM. That’s July 31st. And it’s streaming on ket.com, Kat Plus, or just any way you

KSAT Community is hosting a town hall over the effects of social media on children at 2 p.m. Thursday, streaming on KSAT+.