Local health officials have solutions to a growing problem of how children interact with the internet through smartphone apps.
The internet has positive aspects for children, like watching videos and connecting with friends. There are other, more negative aspects like the “Momo Challenge” or the “Blue Whale Challenge,” which scare children into committing bad actions or traumatize them. Local health officials say they see it as a reflection of the evolving world of social media, and want to encourage parents on how to properly navigate between the good and bad.
With the “Momo Challenge,” Carmen Irving, youth systems of care director for the Union County Mental Health and Recovery Board (MHRB), said she has recently received multiple calls and emails from parents asking what they can do to prevent that from reaching their child. No incidents of children engaging in the challenge have been reported.
“I think this is an opportunity for the Mental Health and Recovery Board to encourage and empower youth workers, parents and caregivers to continue open communication and limit screen time,” Irving said.
Irving said when children use social media apps, they engage in a false reality where they perceive their lives as boring compared to whatever positive things their friends online may post. Along with bad, predatory people, she said those can work to negatively shape a child’s mind.
“We have to be really mindful that kids don’t have the experience yet,” Irving said.
Irving said communication with children is key to understanding what they’re viewing online. She said the MHRB is helping parents and caregivers learn how to teach self regulation to their children.
“When we talk about self regulation, what we’re really trying to do is to provide that behavioral inoculation,” Irving said. “When we teach self regulation to kids and kids are able to internalize self regulation, that is a protective factor to a whole host of things.”
Irving said this practice involves teaching students “when to put on the gas and when to apply the brake” when viewing content online.
She said children who are more self-regulated are less likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as sneaking their phone during prohibited hours or using apps like Calculator% that intentionally hide photos and other content from parents.
She said it’s also good to have guided conversations with a child about not just their online presence, but anything else in life. This practice involves asking a child what they think is the correct way to approach a situation. As an example, Irving said this could involve asking the child: “how do you use Instagram?” and, “tell me more about what we should or shouldn’t do.”
“When we give kids the opportunity to be part of that conversation, we build what’s called ‘psychological flexibility,’” Irving said. “When kids are more psychologically flexible, they’re better regulated.”
Irving said the MHRB doesn’t have an official position on social media app use. However, she said the agency encourages parents and caregivers to try and monitor app use among children and communicate with them about how they use them.
“There’s not enough information on a local level to do that yet,” she said. “We also have to help support our adults to support their youth.”
Jennifer Thrush, Public Information Officer with the Union County Health Department, echoed those sentiments. She said communication with a child is key for them to understand what they’re getting into. She also said rules have to be established, such as no sharing of one’s address or phone number.
She said helping limit access to a world that gives them access to anything online can help prevent anything like a child succumbing to something like the “Momo Challenge.”
“We can no longer look at a cell phone, iPod or a computer as just a piece of technology, as it’s really a gateway to the entire world, and everything that’s good and bad in that world,” Thrush said. “If we’re giving that tool to those kids without arming them with a conversation and a plan for how to use them, we’re setting them up for failure.”
She said parents can’t possibly learn about every internet program available, as apps are constantly evolving. She said the health department’s stance is to encourage communication about the consequences of using social media and give children safety tips.
“Instead of stressing yourself out and researching what to look out for, it’s more how are you going to establish that open dialogue with your child and understanding social media,” Thrush said.
Thrush said forming a contract with a child is a good way to reinforce positive behaviors when using social media and determining what to trust online.
She said the health department wants to encourage less social media use in a way that gets them active and prevent physical health challenges. As an example, she said going out for a walk as a family would be more preferable than allowing the child to stay in their room all night on their phone.