Why social media can help you relate better to your child

ROSEVILLE --Doctor Angela Chanter is the clinical director for Full Circle Treatment Center and has a private consulting practice in Roseville.  She provides intervention and recovery support for teen addiction and addresses youth mental health issues in her private practice.

Chanter's practice and Full Circle Treatment Center programs involve the entire family.

Children today can become amazingly isolated while connected to others through texting and social media.“Children need the soulful connections of parents and family, which cyber connections do not provide,” Chanter said.

Chanter encourages parents to ‘friend’ their children on Facebook and off-line coach them about what is appropriate and not appropriate and get a feel for how your child expresses his or her identity.“Social media and texting can be a good thing, but without a balance it is a tool for prescription drug deals, out of control parties and proof of rumor. Kids are not developing the interpersonal skills for face-to-face communications and there is more anxiety about relationships,” Chanter said.

According to Chanter, it is very important that parents understand the rhythm of their child: what are their interests, their pace, sleep patterns, and relate to them with the cyber applications they use. Chanter encourages parents to help children search for and realize their purpose so they can be secure in a cyber-powered world that promotes untrue beliefs including:

• You are not enough - hype yourself up and become outrageous to be worthy of attention.
• You are invisible unless you are on Facebook
• Other people’s prescription drugs are safe
• Underage drinking is not a big deal, just don’t drive

A Parent’s Guide to Cyber Citizenship provides an overview of the digital world our children navigate and offers fundamentals for developing house rules to support individual liberty and hold individuals accountable for the greater good.

Parent Resources

• Banana Moments
• Parenting in the Cyber Wilderness
• Full Circle Treatment Center
• Coalition for Placer Youth

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