We are surrounded by technology and social media, which can at times be all consuming. So how much time SHOULD your teen be spending on social media?
According to a 2018 study by the University of Pennsylvania, 30 mins of social media a day CAN boost a person’s mood. The study highlighted that using social media for over two hours a day, can increase the risk of depression and loneliness, the study found the less time people spent on social media, the fewer symptoms they reported
How can you support your teen to reduce their time on social media?
Help them to plan their day, give them a time frame for when they can use social media.
Introduce a no mobile phone policy, for different times of the day, such as; no mobile phones during dinner, when watching TV, during family time or at bedtime (being mindful to also model this behaviour yourself).
Set tasks and activities with your teens that limit social media use, such as helping with cooking, tinkering in the shed with dad etc.
If you do have ongoing concerns bout your teens social media use, be sure to make contact with a counsellor, mental health professional for additional guidance.
