Educate South Florida

It's clear we need to take urgent action: Kids are not alright. Get them off social media—now. No social media for kids under 16. It's extremely unhealthy.

I've worked with ages 5-25 for the past 20 years, and the overwhelming feedback from this generation is the damage social media has done to them. Many parents remain unaware.

The negative traits of Gen Z are a direct result of unrestricted social media access:

1. Easily Distracted - Heavy smartphone use leads to constant distractions.

2. Impatience - They expect instant gratification.

3. Anxiety and Stress - Higher levels compared to previous generations.

4. Low Attention Span - Digital stimulation shortens attention spans.

5. Over-Reliance on Technology - Dependence hinders interpersonal skills.

6. Lack of Face-to-Face Communication Skills - Less adept at in-person communication.

7. Entitlement - Perceived as entitled, expecting more without effort.

8. Social Media Pressure - The pressure to maintain a perfect online image.

9. Risk Aversion - More risk-averse, missing opportunities.

10. Fragility - Struggle with resilience and coping with setbacks.

To learn more, read or listen to "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt.

For those struggling to understand, imagine growing up with unrestricted access to inappropriate content at a young age. Is this beneficial? Think about who profits or benefits from giving children this access.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/06/technology/tiktok-fake-teachers-pennsylvania.html

Students Target Teachers in Group TikTok Attack, Shaking Their School Seventh and eighth graders in Malvern, Pa., impersonating their teachers posted disparaging, lewd, racist and homophobic videos in the first known mass attack of its kind in the U.S.

https://www.today.com/parents/teens/borg-college-parents-know-rcna69905?cid=sm_npd_td_fb_ma&fbclid=IwAR2Me5zMS4RAbcI1oN8mjBXLlZ49VyK8K6nywv2Q2Tk3GDCao8bk0LW7wDs make sure you’re aware of this trend growing on campuses and at parties. Having a healthy dialogue with your child about alcohol and drugs is very important to your child’s mental health and well being.

What is a 'borg' and why should college parents know about it? It's become the drink of choice on college campuses.

Can this be a Florida thing?

Let kids sleep: California becomes first state to mandate later school starts Experts say the initiative should go national, because teens can't learn when they're sleep-deprived.