Mood Matters: Tips for Managing Social Media and Emotions
Jan 10, 2024
As a parent, you want to help your child develop skills to improve their mood and mental well-being. With the rise of social media use among children and teens, concerns have been raised about excessive screen time and its impact on mental health. One way to combat these negative effects is to encourage your child to engage in real-world activities that promote creativity, self-expression, and personal growth.
Instant Replay and Graceful Exits: Rejecting Shame
As children grow up, impulsive behavior is a natural part of their development. But, it’s easy to feel shame about it. Instead of wallowing in shame, help your child learn from their mistakes by instant replaying and rehearsing graceful exits. Encourage them to think through what they could have done differently in a situation and practice a graceful exit in case it happens again. This way, they can learn from their mistakes and grow without being held back by shame.
Flexible Thinking and Realistic Expectations: Rejecting Perfectionism
Perfectionism is a trap that many children fall into. The belief that they must suffer to learn and grow is a rigid, harsh, and unrealistic one. Instead of striving for perfection, encourage your child to embrace flexible thinking and set realistic expectations for themselves. It’s okay to be foolish and take risks, make mistakes and learn from them. When we embrace this mindset, we can enjoy the process of self-discovery and self-expression without the pressure of perfection.
Embracing Creativity: Exploring Artistic Forms
Artistic expression is a great way to channel your child’s creativity and help them develop skills in a fun and rewarding way. You don’t have to create masterpieces, but rather just enjoy the process. Start by trying out coloring books, which have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety (Flett et al., 2017).
Take a trip to an art store or a drug store with basic supplies to explore different artistic forms. Select some paper, markers, glue, scissors, construction paper, and set out to spend 10 minutes doing whatever you feel inspired to do with the supplies. Encourage your child to explore different art forms like writing songs, playing the guitar, writing stand-up comedy acts, or joining an improv group. You can also go to an art fair and enjoy and be inspired by creating art and the craft that goes into it.
Cultivating Yourself: Me Time and Self-Expression
It’s important to encourage your child to take time for themselves to cultivate personal growth. Encourage them to use their me-time for self-expression and discovering who they are. Creativity can be writing for yourself, to gain insight or to write fictional stories. Allow your child to have time for self-expression.
Social media use among children and teens has become a hot topic in recent years, with many concerns about excessive screen time and the impact on mental health. By encouraging our children to engage in real-world activities, we can help them develop valuable skills and improve their mental well-being. Let’s remind them that it’s okay to make mistakes, take risks, and explore their creativity. And let’s reject shame and perfectionism in favor of a more flexible and positive mindset. With a little encouragement and support, we can help our kids find a more balanced and fulfilling relationship with technology. So go ahead, get out there, and have some fun in the real world!
Flett, J. A. M. et al. (2017). Sharpen Your Pencils: Preliminary Evidence that Adult Coloring Reduces Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety. Creativity Research Journal, 29, 409-416.
