Social Media, Our Kids and Their Brains

Tom Piotrowski is a media teacher at Atlantic Institute of Technology in Atlantic County, NJ.  He has spent most of his life around young people and knows the way they think and interact.  In this episode, we have a frank conversation about the dangers social media can pose to our kids and what we, as parents can do about it.  He recommends visiting the Center for Parents and Youth Understanding or cypu.org. The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding is a nonprofit organization committed to building strong families by serving to bridge the cultural-generational gap between parents and teenagers. 

For a technology that is supposed to bring us together, it sure feels at times that the internet brings us further apart, especially for our teens and tweens.  We have all heard the reports of how social media and other tech can lead to a variety of concerns about their mental health. For many teens, social media can become almost addictive. Social media can activate parts of the brain associated with pleasure and rewards causing them to want to use social media more.  In addition, the pandemic has kept our kids separated as they spent more time learning on screens.  All of it can add up to feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety. 

While social media is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, it also is not the same as face-to-face interactions. Many teens get so wrapped up online checking their cell phones, that they often overlook the people right in front of them. This lack of communication in the real world can cause difficulties in friendships, dating, and other relationships. 

While there are some positive aspects of social media, there are many pitfalls.  We, as parents, as well as other adults in their lives,  need to be aware of what our kids are doing online and how we can play a positive role in keeping them safe and helping them live happy, productive lives.