Learn4Life offers tips for teens and parents this season

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of year, but for some it can be a toxic time, full of anxiety and endless scrolling. Studies show social media use among children spikes about 70 percent during the holiday season¹, for a total of more than eight hours per day².

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Teenagers spend more time on their phones per day than the average adult spends at the office. (Photo: Business Wire)

Click to Tweet: How to stop the endless scroll this season. Learn4Life offers tips for parents and students

“But not everything about social media has to be negative. There are some positive aspects,” explained Jaspreet Kaur, school counselor at Learn4Life, a network of 80+ high schools that offers personalized learning, school counseling services and life skills training. “Parents need to be aware of what social media platforms their teens are on, encourage them to reduce their time online and look for new ways to interact both on and offline.” She offers these tips for parents:

1. Reality Check – Remind your child that social media posts are picture-perfect highlight reels not based on reality.
2. Fear of Missing Out – Nix your child’s “FOMO” on fun by helping them plan activities that are meaningful to them, instead of copying what they see other people doing online.
3. Branch Out – Instead of following the same kids at school or celebrities, encourage your child to follow people or groups that share their interests. Social media platforms can also be a good way to expose your child to current events, allow them to interact across geographic barriers and provide them with valuable support. This is especially critical for children who experience exclusion or have disabilities or chronic illnesses.
4. Spread Holiday Cheer – Encourage your teen to use social media to reach out to someone who may be lonely during the holidays, like a neighbor or faraway relative.
5. Put Safety First – As always, make safety a top priority. Remind your child not to add people they don’t know or give out personal information, and to think carefully before interacting with strangers or posting content.

Click to Tweet: Studies show social media use among children spikes about 70% during the holiday season. Learn4Life offer some tips to parents this December. #socialmediause #learn4lifeschools

“Social media can prevent us from experiencing and enjoying the present,” said Kaur. “We should delight in spending time with loved ones and doing special holiday activities – not scrolling and scrolling to see what other people are doing. This is an important lesson parents can teach their teens.”

For more information about Learn4Life high schools, visit www.learn4life.org.

About Learn4Life

Learn4Life is a network of nonprofit public schools that provides students personalized learning, career training and life skills. Each school is locally controlled, tuition free and gives students the flexibility and one-on-one attention they need to succeed. Serving more than 47,000 students – including full-time and intersession students – we help them prepare for a future beyond high school. For more information, please visit www.learn4life.org.

¹ 5 Ways to Manage Your Social Media Over the Holiday Vacations, 2018

² Kids as Young as 8 Are Using Social Media More Than Ever, Study Finds, 2022

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