7 Signs your Kids are Social Media Addicts

In the previous decade, we heard about the world becoming a global village, and right now, we are experiencing it. Thanks to social media and all the emerging social media platforms, we are not only connecting with our loved ones living too far away but also creating new bonds with the people we did not know earlier. However, things are not as good as they seem. 

33% of the world’s population uses social media to connect, communicate, and interact. This includes active people on at least one social media platform. Out of these users, 70% of teens and almost 25% of kids are addicted to social media. Our new generation is addicted to social media, which is a major concern. 

Signs of Social media addiction in kids

As parents, you are always working to improve things for the kids. In this situation, it’s, it is essential to evaluate what it looks like when your child is addicted to social media. Knowing the signs will help you make the right move and save your kid from a drastic situation. Here are the seven leading signs you should now ignore about your child’s social media addiction. 

Social Withdrawal

Does your child spend more time on their phone than talking to friends or family? It could be a sign of social withdrawal if they prefer scrolling through social media feeds over spending time with loved ones.

By indulging too much in their social world online, the kids are mostly drawn away from real-time interactions. You must understand that your child is not just chatting with people online but posting, creating, and watching content, playing games, and more. It keeps them engaged so much that they cannot interact with the people in the real world. 

Extended Screen Time

Is your child glued to their screen for hours on end? Excessive screen use keeps them hooked on social media apps for a longer period of time. They always want to update their online friends on what they are doing; it’s the reason they stick to their digital world. 

You can observe an urge in them to share life updates frequently with their online friends. They are not in the right mood when they cannot do so. To keep the updates going, they prefer to keep their devices with them all the time. 

Lack of Sleep

Is your child staying up late at night scrolling through their feeds? Despite feeling the need for sleep, when you see them struggling with it, that means they are stubborn. At this point, they are stretching their routine, and that is totally problematic. Lack of sleep can affect their mood, concentration, and overall health. Kids need to get enough rest for their growing bodies and minds. 

When you observe kids spending more time on their devices and social media, sacrificing their sleep, you should act. The young ones are getting addicted to their social media handles and ignoring a balance. 

Extreme Social Media Engagement

Does your child obsessively check their notifications or constantly post updates? The frequent notification pings and your kid getting distracted from dinner or a family conversation to check them are annoying. Did you observe that your young one is unable to hold back from checking notifications? Or are they getting so many of them? If yes, then it’s an indication. 

When they are always on their phone, it means they are over-involved in digital interactions. Their social world is larger online than offline. It’s the reason they are mostly distracted from real-time activities and interactions. So, here comes your need to act and make a smart move. 

Anxiety & Depression:

When kids are addicted to their phones and social media, they develop a different kind of mood and behavior. Have you noticed changes in your child’s mood or behavior, like becoming more irritable or withdrawn? Excessive social media use has been linked to feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem in kids.

On social media, they interact with people from different walks of life and have different lifestyles and approaches. By being influenced by these approaches and lifestyles, kids may develop feelings of frustration or depression. Sometimes, the bullies and peer pressures online make them anxious. Or even the fear of missing out, which is a reason for the teens to be anxious. They are always in a hurry to respond, interact, and participate online in discussions or interactions. 

Declined Academics

Is your child’s school performance slipping? It’s an indication that your child is distracted. Spending too much time on social media can distract them from their studies and lead to poor academic performance. When it’s declining, it indicates that your child needs your attention. 

Remember, using social media aggressively is not the only reason for declining academic performance. The other distractions linked to social media can be a problem. Your child may be facing bullies or harassment or have fallen into the hands of a predator online. It can be the reason for the grades being declined and other issues. 

No Participation in Physical Activities

Sticking to social media means staying indoors and not having any outdoor activities. When your child does not participate in physical activities even when given the chance, it means social media and digital devices are ruling them. At this point, taking the right action is essential to keep the kids safe. 

Tips to Help Kids with Social Media Addiction

When your kids are addicted to social media, it’s a depressing situation not only for you but also for them. Even the kids and teens feel that something is wrong, and they really want to get out of the situation. Well, instead of making things more difficult or aggressive, here are a few things you can do. 

• Talk it out – it’s better to talk about your child’s aggressive social media usage with them and identify that they are addicted to the screens. 
• Limit screen time – it’s better to set limits on screen time and encourage other activities like reading or playing outside. 
• Create tech-free zones – in your house, there have to be spaces or times when the use of devices is prohibited. Limit device usage during meals or before bedtime to promote healthier habits.
• Play role model—practice healthy screen habits yourself and limit your social media usage to let your kids reflect that. 

Use a dedicated parental control app. 

Sometimes, the regular ways of controlling your child’s digital addiction are not enough. You must take some solid action and take a few serious steps. Using a dedicated parental control app—FamilyTime is the ultimate resort. The app lets you control your child’s digital activities, from limiting screen time to blocking apps, scheduling device and internet downtime, blocking the web, and more. 

If you are worried about your child being involved with some stranger online, you can monitor their contacts, calls, messages, and even social media chats. It gives you a good insight into what they are doing on social media. 

Using the tools and controls, you can help your child reduce their urge to post everything 24/7 and consume too much social media. 

Wrap Up!

Social media can be a great way for kids to connect with others and explore new interests. But it’s essential to recognize when it becomes too much. By keeping an eye out for these signs, you can save your teens and kids from addiction. Additionally, you will help them adopt healthy habits and develop a balanced relationship with social media. 

Plus, using the FamilyTime parental control app will help you keep your children safe online. You can keep cyber predators away from them and improve their digital experience.