Learning the Landscape - Being a teen in 2023, kinda sucks

‍The current generation of teenagers between the ages of 13-18 have suffered more than any other due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the stressors of the modern digital world. Teenagers face more pressure to succeed than ever before and the combination of social distancing and social media has left teens feeling lonely, stressed, and anxious. In addition, parents are drained and burned out trying to manage the unknown ramifications of their teens' struggles in an unfamiliar digital world. Teens have always turned to their friends and parents to help them get through the hard parts of adolescence and unfortunately, in 2023, teens have been left to rely only on themselves.

‍Quick Thought From Us

‍Social media this, social media that. We get it, you and your family are at your wits end with social media and its effects on basically the whole world. But, if you can’t beat em’, join em’? We’re here to breakdown social media apps that your teen is face down in. Got questions about specifics and how to work through them? Chat with SOMETHINGS mentor experts over at home base for some support.
Remember, everyone’s going through SOMETHINGS.

‍A Parent’s Guide to Social Media - Get your lingo up to date

‍Breaking down the basics so you understand the dynamics of how a social media app can affect your teen. Put on your thinking caps everyone, or should we say influencer caps…

Instagram

• The Basics: The real point of this one is to share images about your life, but the currency here involves follower ratios, picture likes, and comments. You probably have noticed your teen wondering why Sina from junior year unfollowed them and how their social standing has plummeted. Users can become victims of the ‘death scroll’ which consumes most people on the reels section of the app. Similar to Tik Tok, videos are uploaded in a format perfect for scrolling and refresh one after another.
• Need to Know: The more likes and followers, the bigger the fish. Same goes in similar fashion with likes and comments but think of this in a way of virtual compliments. Accounts can be public and private but there is an opportunity to be hacked on this app. If this happens, check with Instagram directly and reset your teen's password.
• How to Worry Smarter: Have conversations with your teen about having them keep their profile private and making sure that they know who views their content. As for all social media, make sure to explain the difference between reality and fantasy. Content can include photoshop, editing, and filters to make pictures look much more aesthetic. We recommend limiting screen time on this app because we all can get sucked into the latest trends, fashion faux pas, and compare ourselves to the next biggest influencer.