6 min read
3 min readBy James Donaldson
Social media and teenagers: How to help What can parents do to help kids build a safe and reasonable relationship with social media before they’re out on their own?
Social media and teenagers: How to help What can parents do to help kids build a safe and reasonable relationship with social media before they’re out on their own?
Don’t underestimate the role social media plays in the lives of teenagers.
Visual images are very powerful, and teenagers today, the things that happen online — slights, break-ups, likes, or negative comments — are very real.
When you talk about social media make sure you’re really listening and be careful not to dismiss or minimize their experiences.
Encourage them to think outside the (crop) box.
When you talk to your child about social media, encourage them to explore it in a more critical way.
A great way to start is to try asking them what they think has been cropped or edited out of their friends’ “perfect” pictures and why.
That can lead to larger questions.
Do you think your friends are really the people they appear to be online?
What is it about getting “likes” that feels good?
From the Author
Get James Donaldson's Books
Order today and James will personally sign your copy — a meaningful keepsake from an NBA All-Star and mental health advocate.
Celebrating Your Gift of Life
From the verge of suicide to a life of purpose and joy
Order & Get It Signed
Standing Above the Crowd
Inspiring stories of resilience, hope, and mental wellness
Order & Get It Signed
James Donaldson
Author, Speaker & Mental Health Advocate · Standing Above the Crowd
James Donaldson is a former NBA All-Star (1988, Dallas Mavericks) who played 20 years of professional basketball with the Seattle SuperSonics, L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz, and teams across Europe, before touring with the Harlem Globetrotters. A Washington State University graduate inducted into both the Pac-10 and WSU Athletic Halls of Fame, James went on to found The Donaldson Clinic, an outpatient physical therapy practice he operated for nearly three decades. Today he devotes his time to mental health awareness and suicide prevention — speaking to organizations, schools, and youth groups — and is the author of Standing Above the Crowd and Celebrating Your Gift of Life (2021). James recently relocated to the Dallas, TX area and believes deeply in being a role model of success and professionalism for the young people he serves.
More in Social Issues
9 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health – What the Research Actually Says About Social Media and Teen Mental Health
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - AI Chatbots and Teens
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - How Much Should You Monitor Your Teen’s Social Media?
Read5 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - How to improve mental health safety on social media – not just for young people
Read4 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - How to Improve Mental Health Safety on Social Media – Not Just for Young People
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - Experts raise concerns as teens turn to AI chatbots for mental health support
Read6 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - Screen Time and Summer
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - When Are Kids Ready for Social Media?
Read4 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - Is Internet Addiction Real?
Read3 min read
James Donaldson on Mental Health - How Much Should You Monitor Your Teen’s Social Media?
Read4 min read