The risks of smartphone use for kids under 13
On a summer day in Champlin, many kids are busy running, playing and swinging in the park.
"I think it's important for them to just still grow up without the constant electronics," said Milaniya Oayenyagra, a mother of three from Rogers.
Countless others are at home absorbed in their smartphones and social media. Almost two-thirds of kids say they were 10 or younger when they got their first smartphone.
"We see anxiety increasing, negative body image increasing, we see thoughts to hurt self," said Dr. Joshua Stein, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and clinical director at PrairieCare.
Stein admits it's a tricky world for parents to navigate.
"Even as parents, we're just trying to catch up and understand our own use and our own patterns, and I think it's a really good chance to start that conversation now wherever you're at, even if you have to claw back some of these privileges."
Stein says if you feel like what you've already done isn't working for your child or your family, make changes, like adding parental controls, setting time limits and eliminating use close to bedtime.
He also adds there are red flags to look for that may indicate a problem online.
"If all of the sudden when they come off their phones, they're irritable, they're agitated or if they start to just all of the sudden not use their phone at all," he said. "Sometimes it can be that they're being bullied, sometimes it can be that they're frustrated, but other times it can be that they're being preyed upon."
Regular check-ins, where you ask if there is anything online that makes your child feel sad or uncomfortable, can help you gauge their mental health and open the door to suggest tech-free activities.
"Parents need to make sure they're providing their young kids that opportunity to make play, that it's OK for them to be bored and it's OK for your older teenagers to be bored, too, and to figure out how to connect and have fun with one another," he said.
Stein suggests families use the free Family Media Plan provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It helps keep track of social media usage and set family priorities.
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