UNITED WAY OF UTAH COUNTY

Is technology affecting my kid's mental health?

Sometimes it seems that phones and video games are causing a child to feel depressed. Too much screen time may get in the way of a child’s need to play outside, connect with friends, and get enough sleep. At the same time, we know that just taking away all technology isn’t really possible in today’s world. Walking the line between the two is really difficult, and the resources below will help you make informed, wise, and kind decisions together with your teen.

Videos

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Dr. Matt Swenson, a child psychiatrist, explains the impact technology can have on safety, connection and confidence.

Is there a habit your child is struggling to break? Do you feel like you’ve tried everything and nothing works? Tyrene Hartsell, school counselor at Alpine school district, shares how you and your child can work together to overcome a challenge.

Podcasts

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

“My kids seem to be using technology for almost all their connection with their friends. What do I do about technology use after the pandemic, when they’ve become habituated to living out their entire lives online?”

Jay Snyder, a licensed clinical social worker, comes on the podcast to talk about how parents can use technology to meet kids’ needs.

There are many factors that influence mental health and behavior, and phones are one small piece of the bigger picture. In this podcast episode, we talk about some common situations parents face while navigating digital parenting. Our expert, Carrie Rogers Whitehead, shares what parents can do to promote safety, connection, and confidence online as their child grows and develops.

Do you keep track of how many texts your kid gets each day? If so, it might not surprise you to learn that adolescents typically send and receive thousands of messages every month. But how bad is texting really? And does it affect mental health?

In this week’s mini episode, Eliza talks about how parents can set boundaries around phones and texting that support their child’s physical and emotional needs.

Workbook

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

This work book discusses how your child’s technology use may be helping or hindering getting their physical and emotional needs met. Learn how to work together with your teen, so that you can both figure out a safe and effective way to use technology.