Social media has been blamed for everything from divorce to bad grades. Now, add another potential danger to the list: "Facebook depression." The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that the site's status updates, friend tallying, and "photos of happy-looking people having great times" can make troubled tweens and teens feel even more alone and inadequate. "It's like a big popularity contest," says Abby Abolt, a Chicago high school sophomore, as quoted by the Associated Press. Is Facebook really crushing young egos?
Yes, and it's up to parents to combat this threat: "Facebook is great," says Dr. Lisa Dana at Baby Center, "but it has to be used to appropriately." Parents have to keep track of their kids' activity on social media, and talk to them about how they feel about it, just as they would any other part of teen life. So "friend" your children, make sure you know their passwords, and protect them from all the dangers lurking online. It's part of modern parenting.
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