The Session: The Impact of Social Media on Our Kids-part 2

This episode concludes our conversation about the impact social media is having on our kids.  Scott and Tom offer hope and ideas for controlling the screen time our kids have.  The Session: Social Media’s Impact on our Lives I John 2:16“For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world." Because, according to internet safety expert Jesse Weinberger, who surveyed 70,000 students, on average, pornography consumption began when children turned eight, sexting began at age 10 and pornography addiction began around age 11.Porn’s Impact (AddictionHelp.com)1.   Isolation, guilt and shame make for distant relationships2.   Porn leads to aggression and difficulty performing in marriage long term3.   Porn is devastating on marriage4.   Porn gives a dis- eased concept of marital sex5.   Porn creates a devastating impact on arousal6.   Porn causes self worth and self esteem problemsCellphones are a Major Contributor to PornWeinberger recommends parents make their child sign a contract that clearly outlines the rules of using a smartphone. It should include promises never to take nude selfies and never to try to meet strangers from the internet along with other limits, like no smartphones at the dinner table or in the classroom. If your child breaks the rules, take their phone away. Screen time directly impacts your child’s mental healthIt increases loneliness, depression and anxiety. Children on screens show physical changes in brain structures, impacted brain development, and lower educational outcomes. Children born between 1995 and 2012 are the loneliest people on the planet. How smartphone use among adolescents may trigger ADHD like symptoms and changes the brainScreen time is linked to diminished mental health Jessica Weinberger Qustodio is a free app that lets parents monitor their children’s text messages, disable apps at certain times of day or even shut off a smartphone remotely. UnhappinessBut the twin rise of the smartphone and social media has caused an earthquake of a magnitude we’ve not seen in a very long time, if ever. There is compelling evidence that the devices we’ve placed in young people’s hands are having profound effects on their lives—and making them seriously unhappy. Driving Nearly all Boomer high-school students had their driver’s license by the spring of their senior year; more than one in four teens today still lack one at the end of high school. For some, Mom and Dad are such good chauffeurs that there’s no urgent need to drive. “My parents drove me everywhere and never complained, so I always had rides Teens WorkingTeens aren’t working (or managing their own money) as much. In the late 1970s, 77 percent of high-school seniors worked for pay during the school year; by the mid-2010s, only 55 percent did. The number of eighth-graders who work for pay has been cut in half. These declines accelerated during the Great Recession, but teen employment has not bounced back, even though job availability has.  To reach Tom Russell, please call 419-709-8447, email Tom at [email protected], or visit his website at https://www.heritagechristiancounselingofmansfield.com