Tweens & Teens 2022 (Island Parent)

Staying Afloat in the
Social Media Shark Tank
We’re habitually distracted with internet and screen time
filling our waking hours and defining leisure time. Our
youth are stressed, anxious, experiencing stronger emotions
and suffering from the burden of being so interconnected.
Participating in social media can feel like we’re swimming
with sharks. And being bitten can look like:
• Dreading checking your device (afraid of what you may
have stirred up)
• Obsessing about who liked or noticed a post, picture or
video
• Allowing responses and feedback on social media to dictate
mood
Six ways to avoid getting bitten and meet the world without
losing yourself:
Be less reactive.
Reacting puts you in survival mode. Respond instead by:
• Reading the full article or post before you share it or comment
• Checking the source to avoid the spread of fake news, confusion
and aggression
• Not having an opinion. Take breaks from posting, sharing
and commenting. Even when someone asks for your opinion,
you can say you don’t know
• Noticing if you are seeking more places to shout your opinion
• Watching for the trap of individualism. When you realize
how attached you are to “Do you like me?” it’s time to take a
social media break. Tracking friends, followers, likes and comments
shouldn’t be a full-time job and it’s hard on the heart.
• Know you don’t need to fix, save or convince people. Those
are all forms of aggression.
• Finding more silence. Breaks from social media will improve
your relationship with it!
Be less distracted.
When you’re distracted day-to-day, you risk going numb.
You’ll also lose connection to yourself, others and our living
world. Distraction fuels reactivity and leaves zero time for wisdom,
insight or compassion.
• Don’t text for one day, set up rules for phone use, and try
do one thing at a time.
• Set boundaries and say “no” more often to curb restlessness.
• Reflect on how distracted we are as a culture.
Have you witnessed how much personal business people
now conduct in public spaces? People talk about their private
relationships, finances and more—right beside you on the bus
or in the grocery store lineup! (They may assume you’re equally
distracted.)
Take a device break in the next line up, waiting room, restaurant
or soccer practice and see what you notice. Collectively
we’ve done a lot of damage because we’re not being present.
It’s a simple change and can be contagious.
Make time for conversation.
Phone or drop-in on a friend or relative. It’s a simple way to
34 Island Parent Magazine IslandParent.ca