Make Digital Well-Being a Habit for Your Kids

If left to their own devices (literally), kids may develop poor digital habits that can contribute to mental health issues, like depression and anxiety.

Just like parents, young folks also have their own unique relationship with technology. Social media, online ads, TikTok… tweens and teens are bombarded with content from digital platforms all day every day.

According to an American Academy of Pediatrics report, children in 1970 accessed TV at about 4 years of age. Now, children are exposed to digital media starting at 4 months of age.

“That’s significant because their brains are still developing,” said Wallace Jackmon, PhD, Director of Psychology at Avera Behavioral Health. “Parents should ensure their children are using digital media in healthy ways from a very early age.”

Family Digital Mental Health Tips

Whether they’re in second grade or a high school senior, kids need structure. Here are tips to help kids manage and maintain a healthy relationship with their devices.

1. Check how much time they’re on their devices.

There’s an association between the time a kid spends on social media and their school performance. The more time they’re on social media, the more likely they will have a lower grade point average.

“If your child’s grade point average is slipping, one of the first things I would look at is how much time they’re spending on social networking sites,” Jackmon said. “There’s a direct correlation to a grade point average dropping and lower self-esteem. Decreasing the time spent on social media sites can help.”

Between 2019 and 2021, entertainment screen time went up from 4:44 to 5:33 hours a day among tweens (ages 8 to 12 years old) and from 7:22 to 8:39 among teens. This increase is much faster than just two years before.

To establish healthy boundaries, you can set an electronic curfew or a time contract for social media, gaming or TV.

2. Adjust settings or silence their phones during sleep and school time.

Text message and social media alerts can lead to interruptions if not deactivated or silenced. Constant incoming alerts create considerable pressure to be available 24/7 and contribute to a fear of missing out (also known as FOMO).

To help your child rest their mind or focus on schoolwork, erase the temptation of their phone completely. As the person who pays for the phone, you can turn it off for periods of time. Consider restricting their settings so they are only able to make emergency calls during certain hours.

3. Encourage them to have unplugged play in the real world.

Some tweens and teens may get so absorbed in the virtual world that they lose the drive to relate to social life in the real world.

“If kids are isolated, depressed or anxious, one of our primary interventions as clinicians is we want them to connect with other people. It’s called behavioral activation. We get them to become more active outside of their home, interacting with positive, constructive individuals or activities,” Jackmon said.

Get kids excited to go out and connect with family and friends. Set aside activities like bowling, raking leaves, riding bicycles or washing cars. If anything, you can get their attention when you have control during dinner time, chores or while on vacation.

4. Check in to see who they’re texting or interacting with online.

As their parent, you have the right to know who your child’s peers are. Just as you keep track of who they socialize with in person, you should see who they chat with digitally.

Youth who are cyberbullied are more likely than their peers to think about and attempt suicide.

Check their online profiles for inappropriate posts from peers. If you see something concerning, open the dialog with a discussion on healthy behavior.

5. Encourage engagement with quality, slow-moving content.

Encourage screen time with media that is more in-depth and slower paced. This helps aid kids (from ages 2-9) with developing stronger skills for making decisions, forming memories and communicating.

Watching fast-moving content can have a hypnotic effect on kids — especially at a young age. Slow-moving videos or interactive media gives them time to stop, think and absorb.

There’s a wide variety of quality, education content out there. Because young people generally know what topics or types of stories interest them, there’s an opportunity to spark their curiosity. Maybe they love watching shows about animals or nature. Introduce them to National Geographic documentaries or book a trip to a zoo or conservatory.

Your own media use will influence your children – either for the better or worse. Explore together while learning and reflecting on new discoveries.

A Positive Note on Social and Digital Media

Besides these very real concerns, kids can also find social media helpful during tough times. For example, they can:

• Connect with a supportive friend in a private message.
• Participate in an online community (such as on Reddit or Tumblr).
• Uplift their spirits with funny or educational content.
• Engage in creative expression, such as art or quotes.

Well-being (physically and mentally) is a key initiative of our community partnership program. Avera partners with communities we serve to bring awareness to health information like healthy food, clean water and decent housing.

If You’re Concerned, There’s Hope

Turn to Avera behavioral health services when your child needs mental health care with digital dependency. If you feel concerned for their safety, learn how to support them by asking the question about suicide ideation sensitively and with sincerity.