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Last week, the U.S. surgeon general provided some tips to both parents and young people regarding the use of social media that we think should be given some consideration by anyone who is raising young adults.
"Our children and adolescents don't have the luxury of waiting years until we know the full extent of social media's impact," Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in an advisory released May 23. "Their childhoods and development are happening now."
TIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
-- If you or someone you know is being negatively affected by social media, reach out to a trusted friend or adult for help. Check the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance on social media.
-- Create boundaries: Limit the use of phones, tablets and computers for at least one hour before bedtime and through the night to make sure you get enough sleep. Keep mealtimes and in-person gatherings device-free to help build social bonds and engage in two-way conversations with others. Connect with people in person and make unplugged interactions a daily priority.
-- Be cautious about what you share: Personal information about you has value. Be selective with what you post and share online and with whom, as it is often public and can be stored permanently. If you aren't sure if you should post something, it's usually best if you don't.
-- Don't keep harassment or abuse a secret: Reach out to at least one person you trust -- such as a close friend, family member, counselor or teacher -- who can give you the help and support you deserve. Go online to stopbullying.gov for tips on how to report cyberbullying. If you have experienced online harassment and abuse by a dating partner, contact an expert at Love is Respect for support. If your private images have been taken and shared online without your permission, go to Take It Down to help get them removed.
TIPS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
-- Create a family media plan: Agreed-upon expectations can help establish healthy technology boundaries at home, including social media use. A family media plan can promote open family discussion and rules about media use and include topics such as balancing screen/online time, content boundaries, and not disclosing personal information.
-- Create tech-free zones: Restrict the use of electronics at least one hour before bedtime and through the night. Keep meal times and other in-person gatherings tech-free. Help children develop social skills and nurture their inperson relationships by encouraging unstructured and offline connections with others.
-- Model responsible behavior: Parents can set a good example of what responsible and healthy social media use looks like by limiting their own use, being mindful of social media habits (including when and how parents share information or content about their child), and modeling positive behavior on your social media accounts.
We agree with all of these suggestions, but especially the last one. James Baldwin said, "Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them." As a parent, you can set rules and limitations on social media use all day long, but unless your own habits reflect the rules you are setting, it will fall upon deaf ears.
Robin Nabi, a University of California Santa Barbara professor of communication, conducted a study of parents to look at how various forms of media use might affect their children's emotional intelligence.
"The takeaway is for parents to be more mindful of how often they are using their phones around their children, where their eyes are sends a message to their children about what's important," she said.
An article about the study can be found at www.news.ucsb.edu/2023/020867/screen-time-concerns.
As the summer months approach, consider keeping this in mind and investing a bit more effort into family time and less time on the screens.
-- The Mining Journal, Marquette