The use of social media has become a part of our everyday lives. It is good to catch up with friends and family that we do not see very often, or it could be a good idea to follow influencers, artists, and brands that you like to stay updated on their new projects.
It is important to keep in mind one thing when scrolling through social media: what people share on social media is a representation of what they want to share or who they want to be, an instant in time where everything seems perfect, exciting, and beautiful at the same time. It's A construction, an illusion, just like a movie or a tv show, it's not real daily life.
In the course of a day, no one has fun all the time, no one looks picture-perfect all the time, and no one goes to events and parties every hour of the day. Even if they try to show that on their profiles.
Seeing other people´s wonderful images and videos may make you think that your own life is not that exciting. If this is your case, try to remember this: social media is designed to show the highlights, the aspirational moments. If it hurts you, you may log off for a while or unfollow those profiles that don´t do you well.
As a family, it is important to be a part of your youth’s social media experience and quietly challenge any ideals they begin to subscribe to as a result. Asking simple questions like, “Do you think his/her life is always like that?” or “I wonder what types of struggles they go through to always seem perfect?” go a long way to allowing your youth to develop critical thinking and remind them that what they see, is not the whole picture.
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