Parenting is rarely a straight shot. It’s more like a rollercoaster ride filled with unexpected twists and, ahem, monkey business. This week’s adventure? My eight-year-old son, currently phoneless (parental decision, don’t judge me), casually requesting a Snapchat account.
Monkey See, Monkey Scroll?
Let me clarify that the influencer I’m referring to is not a small child promoting fidget spinners. His request came after witnessing my endless scroll of social media habits. You know the drill: mindlessly swiping through perfectly curated feeds, with a sprinkle of FOMO (fear of missing out) thrown in for good measure. It’s the classic “monkey see, monkey do” scenario, except the monkey, in this case, wants to be a digital trendsetter at the ripe old age of eight.
The laughter (and maybe a touch of panic) set in. Here I was, lecturing him about the dangers of unsupervised social media—cyberbullying, unrealistic beauty standards, the pressure to constantly “perform” online—while simultaneously refreshing my feed for the tenth time that morning.
Hypocrite Much? The Power of Parental Influence
His “but you have Instagram!” jab hit a little too close to home. Here I was, the self-proclaimed champion of “holistic living magic” (follow thebevincarter, wink wink!), perpetuating the habits I wanted to shield him from. Double standard alert!
That’s when it dawned on me. Change, as they say, starts at home. And guess who has the biggest influence on a child’s life? Yep, us parents.
Leading by App-Delete: A Digital Detox for the Whole Family
So, in a grand gesture of solidarity (and a desperate attempt to regain some control of my attention span), I did the unthinkable. I deleted Instagram ( If work requires me to log in I will do so using my computer). Dramatic? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. The look on his face was priceless, a mix of surprise and (dare I say) respect.
We’re now on a digital detox, exploring the wonders of board games, actual conversations (gasp!), and the beauty of the unfiltered world outside our screens. Who knows, maybe “thebevincarter” will transform into something new – a space for real-life adventures fueled by pint-sized social media moguls in training, but this time, focusing on healthy habits and mindful living.
The Takeaway: We Can Do Better
This experience was a wake-up call. It’s not enough to simply say “no” to our kids regarding social media. We must lead by example, open conversations about online safety, and create a digital environment that fosters connection, creativity, and well-being.
Let’s be the change we want to see in our children’s online world. Let’s put down the phones, pick up a book, and rediscover the magic of real-life connections.
Together, we can raise a generation of socially responsible digital citizens, one monkey-less scroll at a time.