A huge impact of technology is the negative effect that it can potentially have on a user’s mental well-being.

When talking with our children, we need to support them to understand and manage the additional pressures that social media/gaming/advertising presents. We need to model positive screen behaviours such as allocated screen free time, a screen free hour before bedtime, technology free zones such as bedrooms and hold open discussions about the influence of online content on our emotions and feelings. Children need to understand that social media can influence our self-esteem so it’s important to talk about any feelings like this.

They need to know that people only post the things that they want people to see which doesn’t necessarily reflect reality.

Children gaming need to have time away from the screen to ensure it doesn’t become an obsession and dominate all of their behaviours and social interactions.

It is the above that we need to support our children to understand  - through open conversations and collaborative understanding. Please have a look at the parent guides to understand the risks that the different apps and games present so you can talk together about how to manage them