We are so excited to partner with Dr. Walter Hidalgo with a goal of being more socially aware. Here, he answers your questions and shares advice on life and wellness while living in a social media-driven world.
DEAR THE VIRGO GIRL,
My 14-year-old daughter is obsessed with social media, in particular, SnapChat. I have no problem with her on it but she gets so depressed after viewing all the celebrity teenage girls that have everything and look a certain way. I try to tell her the benefits of having parents with unlimited money and resources, causes them to look that way because they have money and fashion all the time but she doesn’t listen. I took her phone away and computer, but she still finds her way on it at school with friends, etc. I finally gave it back to her because I feel like she has to learn another way besides ignoring it anyway.
Advice from Dr. Walter Hidalgo: It sounds like to me that your child has a lot of time in her/his hands. You are right when you say that social media does not define who you are so it is up to you as a parent to help guide your child down that path (if not, social media will). What does she like to do? Sports? Extra-curricular activities? Sometimes all of those “post” and SnapChat videos reflect what that person is doing with their own respective lives? So the question is: What is your child doing with his/her? Children at that age are still developing cognitively and still cannot control their emotions so by default social media helps to amplify those uncontrolled feelings and thoughts when there is no time to process them and get back into the “real world.” Talking with your child and asking him/her what she/he wants is important while at the same time understanding that not everything she/he sees on social media is real – that is important to note as well.
Learn more about our NEW workshops: The Dos and Don’ts of Social Media with Dr. Walter Hidalgo
Have a question about the positive and negative effects of social media?
Tweet us using #AskTheVirgoGirl and with your questions on #SocialMediaWellness and #CyberBullying!