I am writing to express my growing concern over the increasing use of cell phones and social media apps by young children. While technology has become an integral part of our lives, the impact it has on our youngest and most impressionable population cannot be overlooked. I see in our community younger children with smartphones than ever.
Recent studies have shown that excessive use of social media apps can lead to a range of negative outcomes for children, including decreased attention spans, disrupted sleep patterns, and increased risk of anxiety and depression. The lack of adequate sleep, in particular, has been linked to various developmental issues, including impaired cognitive function, behavioral problems, and weakened immune systems. For young children, quality sleep is crucial for healthy growth and development.
Additionally, the rise in online bullying further exacerbates these issues. Children subjected to cyberbullying often experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, which can significantly impact their mental health. Disturbingly, there has been a noticeable increase in suicide rates among young children, a tragic trend that underscores the severe consequences of online harassment and the relentless pressure of social media.
Parents and guardians play a crucial role in moderating their children’s use of technology, but it is also imperative for policymakers, educators, and the tech industry to collaborate on establishing guidelines and protections. Implementing age-appropriate restrictions, promoting digital literacy, and encouraging the development of healthier online environments can help mitigate the adverse effects of early exposure to social media.
To make a more personal example: I was attending a training conference and one of the presenters was speaking about physical and mental health and how getting proper sleep was very important to both. Sleep is when the body and mind “reset” and heal. The next presenters, a married couple, added on to this, relating how it is very important to young minds. There is a direct correlation between sleep and mental health.
After the training for the day, I spoke with this couple and why they seemed so passionate about sleep and rest as it relates to cyberbullying young people. Their 11 year old daughter had committed suicide, and these parents never saw it coming.
Their child would come home from school, never tell her parents about how she was being bullied and go about her day as if nothing was wrong. What they didn’t know is the cyber bullying was emotionally damaging her. Obviously young children don’t have the capacity to deal emotionally with these attacks that adults would.
Cyber bullying is so prevalent because there are no true consequences to the bully. Social media has made this possible, emboldening them to become more brazen. I won’t go into the social media downfall of society we are watching happen, but keyboard warriors don’t have to face the people they attack. They can’t see the reactions they cause, only read responses from their victim and use that to attack again.
This couple’s daughter would go to bed at a reasonable hour. These were not bad parents. Just uninformed about how the technology of the world was in every facet of their daughter’s life.
She would stay up for hours on her phone in her room on social media trying to defend herself from the cyber bullying. Attacks on everything you would imagine from clothes, makeup, hair, to what she eats at lunch.
Combine the repeated attacks, lack of emotional ability to cope, sleep deprivation, and she took her own life. All because of cell phone use, lack of parental knowledge and monitoring, and sleep deprivation. Similar events have happened all over the country, and we are not immune from them here.
As a community, we must prioritize the well-being of our children and take collective action to ensure that technology enhances rather than hinders their development. It is essential that we create a balanced approach to digital engagement, one that through education and awareness safeguards the mental and emotional health of our youngest citizens.
David Stanley is a captain with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
