Did you know that a recent Kaiser Foundation study found that “young people (8 to 18) spend an average of 53 hours a week using electronic media?” It may not surprise you that this heavy media use doesn’t translate into happier lives: “The more time they spend with electronic media, the less happy they tend to be.”
If you’re already concerned about your teen’s media use with respect to content, you may also be concerned about how it is affecting your relationship with your child. A new study shows that over one third of parents report a concern with how TV, computers and video games are affecting parent-child communication. As a parent of college age kids, I’ve already learned that they are more likely to read a text message than pick up a voice call from me, and may be more likely to want to read an article I send them via e-mail than have a conversation about current events or social issues. Like me, you may be concerned about the decrease in “face-time” with your family.
This is a perfect opportunity for me to invite you to our Amplify Parent Connection meeting (click here for more info) on August 30. We will be talking about Teens and Media…what they are seeing, hearing, and experiencing through media, and how we can become more media savvy as we try to keep the lines of communication open and the ties of relationship strong. You will come away with resources that can help you protect, guide and connect.