education
Concern:
SHE LOOKS TO THE ONLINE
WORLD FOR VALIDATION,
WHICH CREATES ANXIETY
What helps:
LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR
A HEALTHY SENSE OF SELF-WORTH
It’s common for kids to compare themselves to friends online, a
practice that can lead to unnecessarily negative assumptions. Some
call this the “duck syndrome” – things look smooth on the surface,
but under the water, the legs are working frantically. Upsetting
messages and images can send kids’ moods spiraling downward,
detracting from not only their enjoyment of life, but time that
would be devoted to schoolwork. The best antidote, says Moore, is
to help them develop a high emotional IQ. “Help your young child
understand what he’s feeling,” she advises. “’You seem disappointed
that you can’t go to a friend’s house,’ ‘You’re frustrated that you can’t
go on the screen now.’ You want him to be able to articulate his
feelings and understand them. If he can process his feelings, he
won’t latch onto screens as an escape.”
Concern:
SOCIAL MEDIA MOVES SO FAST THAT IT’S SHORTENING
MY CHILD’S ATTENTION SPAN
What helps:
GETTING TO KNOW WHAT’S OUT THERE
You know that social media can be a force for good. Peers can help with
research and share helpful real-time feedback. Multi-player games, such
as Minecraft, in which players build constructions out of textured cubes,
teach spatial relations while fostering friendships. Here’s a challenge:
The more you familiarize yourself with this part of their world, the more
your kids will see you as someone who’s an honest broker, and knows
what she’s talking about.
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BACK TO SCHOOL 2017 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE
Since social media is interactive and information comes in fast snip-
pets, educators and parents are giving a lot of thought to how kids
can slow down their minds and bodies, and focus enough to absorb
longer reading materials and complex lessons. They also want to
help students combat the anxiety that comes from worrying about
social status. “Anything that has to do with the breath, such as yoga,
meditation and athletics, helps kids get out of their heads and into
their bodies, living in the present moment,” says Moore. Another tip:
Getting off of screens a half-hour before bed prevents over-stimu-
lated emotions that interfere with sleep. And at the risk of killing
some trees, students can try printing out articles and reading their
assignments on paper, which is more easily scanned than a screen
that’s rolled up and down. ■
Concern:
THEY THINK I HATE ALL SOCIAL MEDIA
What helps:
TEACHING THEM HOW TO SLOW DOWN