Help youth identify how their social media use makes them feel
Ask the young people in your life how their use of social media affects their thoughts, feelings, and activities in real life. Help them to notice which aspects of technology make them feel happy and satisfied, and which ones leave them feeling upset or unsatisfied. Perhaps spending a lot of time on TikTok makes them feel unhappy with their body image, but spending time on Instagram inspires them because they get motivated to try a new hobby. When young people are able to recognize how their time online affects other aspects of their lives, they are better equipped to make changes to protect their mental health, like deleting an app or setting time limits on their usage.2,4,5
Work together to create a media usage plan
Adults and young people often have different views when it comes to technology usage but can work together to make a plan that suits both of their needs. Creating a media usage plan involves reflecting on your relationship with technology and developing guidelines for how you want to use technology to achieve a safer, healthier relationship with it. You might consider a maximum screen time or device-free zones in your house. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a template that you can use to formulate your plan together.3,6
Start with small changes
Changing your habits is difficult, and that difficulty extends to disconnecting from technology. Start small by taking 30 minutes to an hour each day to set aside as screen-free time. Young people might not know what to do during their screen-free time, so work with them to develop a list of alternative activities they can do instead of using their devices. The possibilities are endless – maybe they would enjoy painting, going on a nature walk, listening to music, playing a game, cooking a new recipe, or riding a bike. If they enjoy and are excited about the activity, making this small change should be much simpler than ditching their devices altogether.1,4,7
Model appropriate technology use
Adults should set a positive example of technology use for the youth in their lives. Young people are watching and learning from you, so try to practice what you preach. If it’s important to you that your young person takes screen-time breaks or doesn’t use their device during dinner, use yourself as an example for them to follow. If you’ve created a media plan together, do your best to stick to it. Don’t be afraid to discuss the challenges you face and the successes you achieve with your youth. Be honest about how difficult it can be to unplug and remind them that you’re in it together when it comes to building healthy habits. You might even start to feel better about your relationship with technology along the way!1,3,4,6,7
Stay Informed
Technology changes quickly and it can be tough to keep up with how young people are using technology. Take time to understand the apps your young person is using. Download them yourself and get a sense for what using them is like. Continue to check in with the young people in your life about their digital well-being. Remember that this isn’t a one-and-done conversation – you and your young person’s needs will change over time. Additionally, knowing where to go for help is important if a young person has experienced something upsetting or worrying online. See the list of resources below for more support and information.5,6
Founded in 1901, Ohio PTA is the oldest and largest volunteer organization in the State of Ohio focusing on the health, welfare, safety, and education of children and youth.