Experts warn northern beaches kids’ online addiction is now a ‘crisis’, warn parents to do more
Experts claim parents aren’t leading by example in reducing the time children are on social media and video games. The ‘head in the sand’ mentality is causing kids a string of problems as it’s reported children as young as six are using the social media platform Snapchat.
Manly
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Parenting experts say the peninsula is in crisis with an increasing number of teens seeking help for anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and low self-esteem because they’re spending too much time on social media and video games.
Now those on the frontline say parents should lead by example by putting down their own phones and concentrating on their children.
Gabriela Bilibio, a psychologist at BPsych in Mona Vale, said half of her young clients had issues relating to their online lives, which was leaving them isolated, depressed and in some cases refusing to go to school or unable to get a job.
“Sometimes people come to me and say their child is lost and there is no hope,” she said.
“I am seeing really poor relationships, sometimes complete disconnection from family members.
“Real relationships build resilience so we are seeing that when something goes wrong these children can’t cope and are turning to drugs and alcohol or becoming depressed and anxious.
“It is a crisis.”
Ms Bilibio said parents are stressed, tired and also spending too much time online.
“Parents are pretty hooked on their mobile phones,” she said. “They need to set down values and guidelines.
“Kids will resist but they will respect and see the value of it later.”
Leonie Smith, The Cyber Safety Lady, said parents “have not a hope of sorting out their kids when they’re just as bad”.
At a talk Ms Smith gave at a primary school she said half the teachers were on their phones. She said children were influenced by adults.
Ms Smith said she had also been hearing reports of children as young as six on Snapchat. She said some kids are beginning to use social media in Year 3 and 4 but by Year 6 around 85-90 per cent are on Instagram.
However, parents have a ‘head in the sand’ type of mentality to the issue. “Northern beaches parents want to trust their children, but kids are kids,” she said.
She said the three main concerns for peninsula kids online are sexting, cyber bullying and Snapchat which allows messages to disappear once sent.
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Liesel Edis, CEO of Parenting Teens, is behind an upcoming event to educate parents on the issue. The seven experts talking include Ms Bilibio and Ms Smith, as well as a former detective.
They all have local knowledge on what northern beaches children are facing. She said the aim was to arm parents with strategies to help them.
“We did a survey on what was keeping parents awake at night and it’s their kids’ mental and physical wellbeing,” Ms Edis said.
“We are hearing too often about children self-harming or others with suicidal thoughts,” she said. “Our teenagers are stressed.”
For information go to thecybersafetylady.com.au. For tickets go to parentingteens.com.au.
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