07/14/2025
Social media has become, increasingly, a place where teens do a great deal of their socialization, so the pitfalls of platforms become part of their social landscape.
So what can parents do?
🤳 Take a look at your own social media use; can you change what you do, to lead by example? Make it a family goal to make changes, such as tech-free times of day for you and your child, so your teen doesn’t see hypocrisy in your expectations.
🛴Find and prioritize other activities, in-person activities, to keep your teen present and in the world more often. Consider family activities, but also socializing that lets your teen be a teen, with other kids their age. The activity doesn’t have to be rigid or structured, even just making sure they have a place to spend time with friends in person, can make a huge difference in social media consumption for a teen.
🗣️ Talk to them. And more importantly, LISTEN to them. Ask about anything they’re engaging with, in a way that shows open-minded interest; banning them from use of certain spaces will simply make them more likely to sneak around about it, so engaging with them about what they’re doing and what needs they’re filling with their social media use is a better way to guide your teen toward a healthier, happier balance with social media.
Learn more here: https://counselingcollab.com/teens-and-social-media
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