KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Screen time among children and adolescents increased 50% during the pandemic, but that does not paint the whole picture of the issue with social media, according to a Knoxville psychologist.
“How children use social media seems to be more damaging if they're using it in a negative way than the screen time per se," Knoxville family and marriage therapist Allysen Efferson said. “If they're using it to compare themselves or their lives to others - yes, we're finding a lot of harm in that. So it's just a matter of how they're using the tool.”
Efferson added that parents should be involved in shaping their child’s perception of how social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok should be used.
The family therapist first recommends educating yourself on the popular apps and how they work. She also said parents should consider following their children on the apps and observing what kind of content they post.
Parents should consider talking to their children if they notice them posting things that do not seem like them.
“Parents have a whole lot more influence than they think that they do,” Efferson said. “[Your child] wants you to be involved - they're going to tell you the exact opposite because developmentally that's what they do in adolescence, but that doesn't change the fact that they do want you there.”
Efferson added that it is in every parent’s best interest to be curious and ask your child questions about why they post certain things, even if you think they tell you everything.
“Part of their autonomy and their differentiation from you is they're going to not tell you everything,” the therapist said. “And so it's your job as a parent to learn as much as you can.”