How did parents know what they were doing before all the parenting gurus on social media?!
Service Manager, Olivia Garrett, takes a closer look at the impact of social media.
Many parents turn to the internet and online communities to seek advice, exchange ideas and/or discuss parenting challenges. Undoubtedly, digital platforms are fantastic at providing parents with connectivity as well as ease of access to a wealth of parenting information. However, the downside is that we can feel totally swamped and overwhelmed by all the “experts” on social media, and it can be difficult to distinguish between good and bad advice.
Connecting with other parents online can have its benefits but, not every family’s experience is the same and not all advice will be right for your child.
Everyone’s journey is different
The messaging we’re exposed to online can be impactful. Here’s some of the downsides:-
1. Decreased sense of parenting competence- concern about whether we are doing a good job if we don’t follow all the advice we see.
2. Guilty conscience- comparison with others and feeling guilty about our parenting even though we know none of us are perfect.
3. Increased worries about child development-worrying if our children haven’t quite reached the developmental stage that fits with age.
4. Judgemental / categorical posts- feeling judged when posts are black and white.
5. Incorrect, misleading or conflicting advice-recommendations that don’t fit with individual experiences or are simply wrong.
With the legacy of the pandemic looming large and anxiety and irritability more likely to occur in our children and young people, it is important we seek the right advice. Conflicting advice from a multitude of parenting gurus on social media is often a far cry from the actual support needed when parents find themselves facing the intensity of caring for a child who is struggling with well-being. Certainly, the glut of social media messaging and advice on well-being can take its toll. Incessant streaming of quick- fix solutions may be having the opposite effect of helping parents and children who are struggling.
Is the obsession with wellbeing and relentless messaging urging us to take up yoga, meditation, vegan diets, etc making us sicker?
Quick-fix solutions such as “relationships are the key to recovering from mental ill health” can be unhelpful.
Undoubtedly, healthy relationships help us to cope with difficult experiences and stress. However, more sophisticated understanding and solutions are needed to help parents navigate the legacy of the pandemic such as the rise in the number of children and parents impacted by emotionally-based school avoidance.
Early professional support, advice and information when parents and children are struggling is essential. It’s best that this involves real contact and connection with parents, children and families, and is delivered with expertise and care.
Support services that provide individually tailored advice and effectively engage parents linking them to each other for peer support are key.
Whilst social media can provide a source of useful information on parenting, relying on it too heavily to navigate the challenges of parenthood is not always the best choice.
As parents, we are first and foremost agents of change for our children, and therefore we need to be able to access high quality, professional support when faced with the complexities of parenting.
Go for Gold-Standard Parent Support- We deserve more than social media’s quick-fix, temporary solutions.
Parentline NI is the regional helpline for all parents and carers in NI and offers free, confidential and non-judgemental advice from a team of trained and experienced staff. Support is specific to the needs of individual parents and is delivered via different mediums based on what feels most comfortable for parents—telephone; zoom; webchat.
Watch out for our new WhatsApp chat facility- coming soon
In addition to 1-1 support for parents and carers, Parentline NI deliver workshops, podcasts, resources and parent discussion groups on a range of parenting issues. At Parentline NI, we guarantee friendly, professional, high quality advice and information.
For advice, support and information, contact our free and confidential Helpline- 0808 8020 400.
Opening hours- Mon -Thursday 9am-9pm, Friday 9am -5pm, Saturday 9am-1pm.
How did parents know what they were doing before all the parenting gurus on social media?!
Service Manager, Olivia Garrett, takes a closer look at the impact of social media.
Many parents turn to the internet and online communities to seek advice, exchange ideas and/or discuss parenting challenges. Undoubtedly, digital platforms are fantastic at providing parents with connectivity as well as ease of access to a wealth of parenting information. However, the downside is that we can feel totally swamped and overwhelmed by all the “experts” on social media, and it can be difficult to distinguish between good and bad advice.
Connecting with other parents online can have its benefits but, not every family’s experience is the same and not all advice will be right for your child.
Everyone’s journey is different
The messaging we’re exposed to online can be impactful. Here’s some of the downsides:-
1. Decreased sense of parenting competence- concern about whether we are doing a good job if we don’t follow all the advice we see.
2. Guilty conscience- comparison with others and feeling guilty about our parenting even though we know none of us are perfect.
3. Increased worries about child development-worrying if our children haven’t quite reached the developmental stage that fits with age.
4. Judgemental / categorical posts- feeling judged when posts are black and white.
5. Incorrect, misleading or conflicting advice-recommendations that don’t fit with individual experiences or are simply wrong.
With the legacy of the pandemic looming large and anxiety and irritability more likely to occur in our children and young people, it is important we seek the right advice. Conflicting advice from a multitude of parenting gurus on social media is often a far cry from the actual support needed when parents find themselves facing the intensity of caring for a child who is struggling with well-being. Certainly, the glut of social media messaging and advice on well-being can take its toll. Incessant streaming of quick- fix solutions may be having the opposite effect of helping parents and children who are struggling.
Is the obsession with wellbeing and relentless messaging urging us to take up yoga, meditation, vegan diets, etc making us sicker?
Quick-fix solutions such as “relationships are the key to recovering from mental ill health” can be unhelpful.
Undoubtedly, healthy relationships help us to cope with difficult experiences and stress. However, more sophisticated understanding and solutions are needed to help parents navigate the legacy of the pandemic such as the rise in the number of children and parents impacted by emotionally-based school avoidance.
Early professional support, advice and information when parents and children are struggling is essential. It’s best that this involves real contact and connection with parents, children and families, and is delivered with expertise and care.
Support services that provide individually tailored advice and effectively engage parents linking them to each other for peer support are key.
Whilst social media can provide a source of useful information on parenting, relying on it too heavily to navigate the challenges of parenthood is not always the best choice.
As parents, we are first and foremost agents of change for our children, and therefore we need to be able to access high quality, professional support when faced with the complexities of parenting.
Go for Gold-Standard Parent Support- We deserve more than social media’s quick-fix, temporary solutions.
Parentline NI is the regional helpline for all parents and carers in NI and offers free, confidential and non-judgemental advice from a team of trained and experienced staff. Support is specific to the needs of individual parents and is delivered via different mediums based on what feels most comfortable for parents—telephone; zoom; webchat.
Watch out for our new WhatsApp chat facility- coming soon
In addition to 1-1 support for parents and carers, Parentline NI deliver workshops, podcasts, resources and parent discussion groups on a range of parenting issues. At Parentline NI, we guarantee friendly, professional, high quality advice and information.
For advice, support and information, contact our free and confidential Helpline- 0808 8020 400.
Opening hours- Mon -Thursday 9am-9pm, Friday 9am -5pm, Saturday 9am-1pm.
