03 - COVID-19, Teens, & Social Media

Dr. Tara Egan and her teen cohost Anna are reflecting on the role of technology and social media during month FOUR of COVID-19. For many of us, social media is the primary way we socialize these days.

Anna discusses how she uses tech & social media during quarantine, sharing what it's like to be raised by parents who monitor her technology, and consequently, limit 24/7 access to her friends.

Tara feels she's relaxed her time limits on technology...Anna disagrees. Tara expresses her concerns about her clients becoming more isolated, spending more time on games and TikTok, and scrolling, scrolling, scrolling...versus having high-quality interactions with peers. Anna acknowledges that teens often seek drama on social media, poorer choices are made in the middle of the night, and COVID-19 wreaks havoc on sleep schedules. Grief reigns...over the loss of the ability to travel, the pressure of having to make safe choices for your family, and the inability of teens to get the natural stimulation that their brain needs. How do we address the struggle to balance the benefits of technology (socialization, entertainment, informational) with the risks (increased irritability, power struggles between parents and adults, mood variability, loss of interest in "real life" interactions)?

Finally, Anna and Tara discuss the concepts of "purpose" and "kindness" and how the goal is to CONNECT. Structure can help with this...but not too much structure.

Tara describes her mini course, consisting of her 30 page e-book and nine audio modules. It's called "Managing Your Family's Technology and Social Media", created to help parents eliminate power struggles, keep your family safe from internet misuse, and reconnect with your family. To learn more, click RIGHT HERE.

This episode is sponsored by Sparent, a company that "helps ambitious women create time to grow their amazing companies." Book your discovery call HERE to find out more. Mention this podcast episode and get one free hour of service.

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If you'd like to try BARK, a dashboard that monitors content on your child's technological devices, please use the code QSG7JBW to get 20% off. If you'd like to try Circle Home Plus to set guidelines around when and where your kids spend their online screen time, use THIS LINK to get $20 off. I use both of these tools to protect my children.

To learn more about Dr. Tara Egan, visit www.drtaraegan.com
To learn more about Dr. Tara Egan's private therapy practice, visit www.charlotteparentcoaching.com
To purchase Dr. Tara Egan's parenting books, please visit Amazon. 

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