Guide to Helping Your Kids Navigate Social Media

As a parent, understanding how to guide your teen through the world of social media is crucial for their overall mental health. Dr. Naomi Brown, with Atrium Health Floyd Primary Care Family Medicine in Summerville, shares some practical tips and strategies to help you support your teenager in navigating the complexities of the online realm.

In today’s digital age, social media plays a significant role in the lives of adolescents. While these platforms offer a space for self-expression and connection, they also present unique challenges that can impact a teen’s mental and emotional well-being.

Have healthy boundaries and open communication

If you have a child under age 12, Dr. Brown recommends holding off on allowing them to use social media until you can cultivate awareness and healthy habits with them. Talk with them about self-monitoring – what’s safe versus what’s not.

“It’s much easier to have boundaries in place before kids have their own social media accounts,” Dr. Brown said. “If you have a teen already using social media, it’s not too late to have these conversations. Sometimes parents and kids find these conversations difficult, but they need to happen.”

She suggests asking kids what sites they visit and how they make them feel.

“You’d be surprised how teens can be so unaware of their own emotions,” Dr. Brown said. “Even talking to them about what sites they like and why can be important.”

Be a good digital role model

Parents need to be aware of how much time they spend scrolling through their own social media accounts. Dr. Brown encourages families to create a shared goal to set healthy boundaries or guidelines around social media usage.

“If you don’t think your teen is watching you, you are mistaken,” Dr. Brown said. “Sometimes admitting that you, too, might need to change your behavior makes any concerns you might have for authentic.”

Embrace the positives

Social media is here to stay, so it is nearly inevitable that adolescents will dive into that world. Dr. Brown says it’s important to keep in mind that social media can have positive impacts, too. The pandemic certainly showed us this by helping to bring people together and connecting people who felt isolated.

Atrium Health Floyd Primary Care Medicine in Summerville is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 706-857-3915 to make an appointment. Virtual visits are also available.