The increasing number of Social media usage by children is quite alarming as some doctors are calling it social media anxiety disorder (SMAD) – although what most kids have is more like FOMO on steroids. Keeping tabs on the rich, famous, and just-plain-cool is nothing new, of course. But social media can take that fixation to a pretty dark place. There is always a  panic regarding this issue in the society but we can always help the children to come out of it by helping them to clean up their feed. 

Tweens and Teens get negative influences from social media very fast. It’s a natural phenomenon. Of course, the positive aspects can help the kids grow with better online connections. While there are plenty of good things kids get out of their online connections, sometimes the combo can lead to a negative feedback loop that gnaws away at them. Even for kids who know when to close their laptops and move on, their self-esteem may take a hit. And for the more self-critical, anxiety and depression are real risks. If your kid mostly enjoys social media but suffers the occasional bout of self-doubt, help them find a healthier balance. Ask if – or what – they're already doing to take care of themselves. They may already be tweaking their social media feeds to limit posts that make them feel bad. Or they may be intentionally trying to curb the endless scrolling through the cool kid's Insta. 

Work together to prune out the parts of their social media feeds that trap them into judgy comparisons, and encourage the stuff that bolsters positive social connections, supportive relationships, and validation of their inner qualities. Encouraging your kids to see and appreciate their individual strengths has always been a part of parenting. And learning to stop comparing yourself to others is a part of growing up. By helping kids clean up their feeds, you're bringing together two critical aspects of raising kids in the digital age.