YORK, Pa. — As Collin Ricks kids’ interest in social media grows, so do his worries about how it’s affecting them.
“They start comparing themselves to other people, and I think some of those platforms and the lack of restrictions, it opens the door for that self-reflection probably too soon,” he said.
Bullying and harmful content on social media can contribute to depression, anxiety and decreased self-esteem.
A new national survey by The On Our Sleeves Movement For Children’s Mental Health finds half of parents have noticed their children’s mental health suffer due to social media use in the past year.
“Expecting a child whose brain is still under development to set their own boundaries and know when something is not right—it's not fair,” Ariana Hoet, PhD and clinical director at On Our Sleeves, said.
Hoet, a pediatric psychologist, recommends creating a clear plan as a family to establish limits, schedule regular check-ins and create action plans to ask for help.
“The family's social media plan is kind of like a contract for how social media is going to be used in the household," Hoet said. "And it is for everyone, not just for the child, but for the adult, siblings, everyone in the household.”
The survey also found that the number of parents who feel comfortable having a conversation with their kids about mental health has dropped 5% compared to just a year ago.
Hoet says taking an active role in a child’s social media engagement and watching content with them is a great place to start.
“And then as you're doing that, you can start those open-ended conversations," she said. "'Why do you like following this person? What is funny about this? How do you feel when you're on social media?'”
It’s something that’s helped Collin build trust with his kids as they grow and explore.
“Us as parents, we're not going to always be there," Ricks said. "And so, that's why those conversations are critical and very, very important so they're able to respond to those moments effectively.”