The Very Real Damage That Social Media Does to Kids

Something I've been noticing more and more is that my kids are unique from other kids. Why is this? It is simply because I'm not letting my children grow up in front of a phone screen.

#TheMattWalshShow #News #Politics #DailyWire #SocialMedia #Parenting

[GoodxLad]

A big problem I see around people in my own life is parents using technology as a babysitter.

[ShortHax]

Social media makes kids compare their life to everyone elses highlight reel. And that’s just sad

[DonnyTrump]

I just turned 18 years old and I’ve never had any kind of social media besides YouTube. I had a wonderful, adventurous childhood and I don’t regret a day of not having social media. It is truly brain rotting and damaging.

[simarchhabra]

I can’t tell you how much i respect and admire Matt for giving his kids a good old outdoorsy and a real normal childhood !!!

[danielleb]

Once I took tablets away and limited tv time, my kids attitudes have significantly improved!

[shirleyparker]

Same with my 2 grandchildren. They do not have cable, limited screen time and read a lot! They are well educated and excellent with verbalization!

[batman]

I was born in 1995. A lot of people like to complain about my generation having too much technology, but I was born into a world in which dialup internet was still very much relevant. Unless it was for school work, most kids my age weren’t allowed to use desktop computers. I didn’t get my first desktop computer until I started high school, and I didn’t get my first smartphone until I started college. Kids nowadays are exposed to technology the moment they’re born. People can’t say that about my generation.

[Aiphiae]

I'm a teacher. I've been saying this for over a decade - nobody listened. Now here we are.

[BettyWhite]

Imagination for kids is a must. But they need to understand it's just that, Imagination. Have fun!

[joelwhitson]

This is such an important topic that most people don't understand the severity of. I'm glad Matt brought this up.

[Nothing-But-TheTruth]

I love it how Matt says exactly what’s right exactly how it should be said and doesn’t give a flying fuck.

[Sonnymonster]

My grandson had a hissy fit when I asked him to out down the iPad and join in with what everyone else was doing!!! So I took him outside and gave him some jobs to do in the garden with me to show him he had to balance fun with work. He loved it and we spent over two hours making the garden look neat and tidy!!!

[caligrl]

I have two famous granddaughters that became famous from social media. In fact, one of them is a famous meme. I have watched them be consumed with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and everything that Matt just mentioned. The oldest has gone through some pretty severe mental health crisis currently and in the past. It makes me so sad but I have no control over it because I’m just the grandmother. My daughter and I do not have a very good relationship right now because I have voiced my opinion about how all of this has affected my granddaughters over the years. It’s all about attention seeking and laziness in parenting. Thank you for this video Matt. I hope more parents wake up to what this is doing to our children and grandchildren before it’s too late.

[jihyekim]

"My wife and I decided we would force our kids to have a REAL childhood." Haha, this is pure gold.

But seriously, good for y'all! I'm 17 and don't have social media cuz I was never allowed and now that I can, I don't want it. Books and games and a REAL childhood are definitely better!

[tavogp]

Social media should be regulated it makes addicts out or children

[Swampertchamp]

24 years old here.
Anyone here also thinking of going back to old style flip phones?
Gonna be deleting Facebook as well.
I'm just tired of what is going on in this world.

[tompollockjr]

This has been a big talking point in our house for years now. We have a daughter who's going to be 12 in three months. Obviously like all her friends, she wants a phone... But it's like giving them Pandora's Box and telling them not to open it. We got her a really stripped down iPod that can make calls and text her friends, but the internet and app store downloading are locked behind passwords. It was the best compromise we found. Connection to her friends and family, but no social media, no internet browsing.

[RetsamEdalb]

This is a good point and observation Matt. Parents just aren't exercising their authority on this. Simply don't give them a phone.

I don't agree on the games though; I grew up playing the PS2 and a DS when that came out. I didn't even have an iPod touch until I was in highschool. I spent a significant amount of time gaming as a kid. Still played soccer for a while, went outside with friends, etc. But there were times I'd play video games for 3 hours a day, maybe more.

The difference is though, a game is a single task that focuses your attention. Many require skill, tell great stories and more. A phone and social media on the other hand, you're scrolling through a bunch of random memes and videos instantly skipping the ones that don't immediately grab you. That screws up your attention span and makes you sad and anxious.

I mean, obviously don't overdo it on video games. But there is a world of difference between that and social media.

[rikustorm]

I got my first "smartphone" when I was 15

The only social media I used when I was younger was Facebook and even that was a bad idea

[chairmanwario]

The issue is that kids aren't *allowed* by their parents to have real childhoods. Everything is considered dangerous. It's considered too unsafe to let kids have adventures outside (there's less and less space to explore anyway in most towns). It's also too unsafe to let them go out and play with other kids in the real world-- they could get into trouble or something. If the kids can't go anywhere on their own, they have to stay home. The kids don't have a whole lot of other options besides computers and tv's while they're stuck at home all the time, especially if they either don't have siblings or don't relate well with their siblings.
I'm not defending cloistering children inside their rooms, I think it's a stupid idea, but this is what I've observed from most of my friends throughout school. Keeping children inside is just easier and more convenient for most overworked worrywart parents, even if it has produced what is arguably the most emotionally immature generation in history. For most parents it was a sacrifice they were more than willing to make.