Being a Teenager is Difficult Today!
It has never been an easy time for many young people; even back to the dinosaur days of our grandparents, but now the millennium has brought a whole new set of worries to deal with! (Which I discuss in the video above.)
We are now more connected and (at the same time) not connected than ever before! So many teens are relying on how many “likes/comments/followers” they get on Instagram & Facebook and are becoming very lonely in the process.
Teenagers are born into this “social media era” which is how they have learned to communicate. Human face to face connection is limited as they keep their noses buried in their phones or tablets.
Internet access is the new “playground” which can be a very dangerous place for the young and naive. Parents have to be very diligent with where their kids are roaming online and educate them to the dangers of predators, bullies & self-exploitation.
It is really important for teens to have a safe person to go to while they are dealing with the day to day growing pains of this difficult 7 years. They need constant guidance and a little tough love to keep them on the right path.
Keeping as busy as possible definitely helps young people to stay focused and not dwelling on negative online postings. The less time spent on the internet, the happier many teenagers are.
Social media sites are often a bragging environment where people go to glamorize their lives. So much of this is embellished but that doesn’t stop many teens from feeling inadequate about their own lives.
It is a vicious circle because they want to be a part of it all and fit in but it can actually have quite the opposite effect. They need balance, encouragement & projects they can be passionate about.
The more active teens are offline will give them a “life purpose” that boosts their confidence and self-esteem. Dealing with real people instead of a computer or smart phone will give them the skills for a great future; because they know how to communicate. They will stand out!
Susan McCord @ The Dear Sybersue Talk Show
