I will get into the “meat” of this AFTER making a statement, generally, about social media. Folks, it is like anything else we do…moderation is key. I was alarmed, yesterday, when I actually read the blurb that populates telling us how much time we average on social media per day. In all fairness, I cut it in half because much of my time on is used in researching topics, etc., but an hour and 40 minutes per day truly made me think I should be better utilizing my time. That is nearly 14 hours per week. Much of my interaction on here is for encouraging and building up friends and acquaintances or, at least, trying to get them to laugh and temporarily forget real life.
The sad part is that all the above mentioned, for the most part, is not the case with most of the young people. They almost treat social media as a game. It is weaponry to see how many people they can take out or maim. This game can harbor lasting effects and can prove fatal in all too many instances (and even one per year is too many!) It is way too pervasive.
Until the SM owners start implementing SM jail time or complete cessation of the cruel and dangerous people or youngsters participating, there will be continual casualties. I’m not holding my breath, so here are some ways to prevent potential damage.
Fathers: Don’t neglect your daughters. They need you as much as their moms—possibly even more, ultimately—as you are the real givers of their self-esteem and confidence regardless of whether they are athletes or academic aces! This will pay off in the end when it comes to choosing a mate or fulfilling any professional goals! Talk to your daughters. Solicit their opinions and inquire as to how they formed them. Talk to them constantly about the importance of choosing not only a career that makes them happy and utilizes their talents, but explain even if they elect to be a stay-at-home mom, that actually creating an income from something they do well will give them an additional self-respect and sense of identity and accomplishment.
Both parents need to constantly remind their children that people who tell lies about us should not matter, in the least. We are known by our “fruit” and if we are constantly striving at “continuing improvement” for God, our families and communities—no one’s accusations will matter or be heard.
Our children need to be encouraged to not always feel like they HAVE to be part of a “group.” The rampant peer pressure “saga” has evolved post-agrarian age. Before, when we were all “home on the farm,” we were all distinct individuals who were capable of forming and possessing “original” thoughts…WHEN we had time to think on things which wasn’t real often unless if occurred while working. Most kids had a pretty good idea of WHO they were by the age of 10 or 12 AND it was mostly UNSHAKABLE.
To-be parents should start strategizing early on for a plan to be able to home-school, no matter the sacrifices required. This, in effect, controls with whom our kids are exposed to, and good role models are needed not just with parents but with peers/friends, as well.
The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has asserted thus: “Children are exposed to harmful content on SM, ranging from violent and sexual genres to bullying and harassment. And for too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable “in person” time with family and friends. We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that SM is an important driver of that crisis—one that we must urgently address!”
Dr. Murthy bulleted these suggestions:
· Policymakers can take steps to strengthen safety standards and limit access in ways that make SM safer for children of all ages, better protect their privacy, support digital and media literacy, and fund ongoing research keeping up with all new venues of cruelty and harassment “games” played by disingenuous peers.
· Technology companies can better and more transparently assess the impact of their products on children, share data with independent researchers to increase our collective understanding of the impacts, make design and developmental changes/decisions that prioritize safety and health along with improving systems to provide timely and effective complaint responses.
· Parents and caregivers can set limits and create tech-free zones that force and foster in-person relationships. As well, teach kids about responsible online behavior and model it along with reporting problematic content and activity.
Children and teenagers can be proactive with limiting time on platforms, blocking undesirable content, sharing personal info, and being good about reaching out to help or secure help for victims of cruelty and harassment.
Researchers: DO YOUR THING that will support the establishment of standards and evaluation of best practices to support children’s health.
For your information: When polled, 46% of teenagers stated that social media makes them feel worse about themselves.
תגובות