According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, excessive social media use can lead to attention problems, school difficulties, sleep and eating disorders, and obesity. Conversely, people with strong social connections have less stress-related health problems, lower risk of mental illness, and faster recovery from trauma or illness. The irony is, in our always-connected world, we've lost vital personal connections.
The word "social media" is very misleading. The fact is, there is very little meaningful social interaction when children or adults are plugged into cyberspace and, with the creation of the Smartphone, people are now connected from the cradle to the grave.
Of course there are benefits to social media. There are more learning opportunities available, making it easier for students to do research and collaborate with other classmates. Some schools use blogs and Web portals as teaching tools as well as grade trackers that allow parents to access their child's academic progress. There are also excellent health resources and websites that can give you information about any notion you might entertain.
All that being said, the intensity of the online world can trigger depression, social isolation and anxiety. These are all signs of Internet addition. Symptoms also include excessive use, changes in mood, preoccupation and diminishing social life. While many of us think of addiction in terms of substance abuse, Internet addiction resembles other behavioral addictions, such as gambling.
I recently asked a Redwood City schoolteacher to informally poll her 21 summer school 5th graders, asking them about how much time they spend "gaming." All but 3 said they play some video games everyday. About a third of them said they play video games between 2 and 3 hours a day. Three of the students said they play for more than 6 hours a day. Keep in mind; these are kids who spend a good part of their day in a classroom, away from the ever-consuming virtual world. When asked why they are allowed to spend so much time playing video games, the overwhelming response was, "because it keeps us quiet."
If you're worried that the Internet is being overused in your house, there are ways to slow down on the cyberspace superhighway.
Get your kids involved with teams, clubs, sports, church, music, dancing, singing -- whatever will get them out of the virtual world and into the real one. Summer is the perfect time to look for escapes. Set up playdates that exclude Playstations. When going to a movie, sporting event or concert, have everyone leave his or her various electronic devices at home. Plan a family entertainment night that, you guessed it, does not include electronics. After dinner, dust off the old board games. If face time on Facebook is absolutely required by family members, set a timer. After about 15 minutes on the computer, get them up and log them off.
Remember, children learn by example. If your time is consumed with texting and tweeting, your child will follow suit. As fascinating as the World Wide Web is, our understanding of its powers is limited and technology is still in its infancy. We must tread warily, especially where children are concerned.
Contact Margaret Lavin at firstname.lastname@example.org.