Social media and gaming are two things that parents express great concern over regarding their kids. How much is too much? Is it an addiction? Shouldn’t they be doing other things?
What Parents Can Do
1. Ask Questions.
Engage kids in inquiry and questioning (avoid lecturing, shaming or blaming). This is designed to increase their awareness of their choices and its’ impact in relationship to other goals and options. The goal is to get the kid thinking for themselves, questioning their own use, their peer’s use, the media messages they get and to understand better why you have the values you do and to adopt an internal set of personal values in these areas that will continue to guide them when they are not at home.
Use the conversations to instill critical thinking and analysis, so that they can continue to practice that skill as they grow and when they are on their own making decisions.