OH! Magazine - Australian Version March 2018 | Page 19

( Focus On Family )
HOW TO DEAL WITH A
SOCIAL MEDIA
OBSESSED TEEN
Michelle Mitchell shares these tips for navigating your teen’s online world.
f teenagers aren’t online they don’t
exist, so they stay connected 24/7.
They don’t want to miss out because if
they do, they’ll risk becoming invisble.
I
Our kids have a love/hate relationship with
their phones. They can’t live happily with
them but they also can’t live without
them; they admit to being addicted, which
is not difficult considering the average
teenage girl sends 4,050 texts per month,
(i.e., more than six texts per waking hour!).
This is why our teens need us (rather than
want us) involved in their online world;
because without us, it’s highly possible
they’ll lose their way.
Mums tell me that although their teens
may not be sending nude images or talking
to paedophiles, they are constantly
distracted and disengaged. They are not
paying enough attention to their
schoolwork, family time, or day-to-day
jobs. It’s like this generation is in a
relationship with their phones instead of
being in a relationship with the people
who love them. They are not present in
their actual lives.
Dealing with a social media obsessed teen
is tricky, especially since there are no
magic solutions to social media (sorry!).
It’s a real battle for every family, but here
are a few must-do strategies, which are
ideal for parents with kids aged 15 years
or younger.
Never gift it!
Never gift your teen a mobile phone or
phone plan because once you give it, it’s
really difficult to take it back. After all,
they will argue that a gift is owned by the
one who received it! For this reason, I
suggest that parents always claim
ownership of all technology in their home,
and extend their children the privilege of
using them if they do so responsibly. If the
parent owns the technology, then they are
also free to install any safety software they
feel necessary.
Set clear agreements
I think it is ridiculous to have a written
agreement for everything that happens in
a home, and I’m not personally great at
keeping checklists or