The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services has again prioritized vaping as a Connecticut initiative. Youth across the State are reporting being exposed to peers vaping or vaping themselves, beginning around age 11. The research suggests that almost all vapes sold to youth contain either nicotine or THC. Nicotine is highly addictive as we know, and can be a lifelong and costly substance.
Talk to your children about vaping. We know it is being marketed to entice younger users. Help them understand that the goal is to make them think it is cool, so they become the next generation of consumers.
Parents of elementary-age children, it is time to band together
Since the introduction of the iPhone almost 15 years ago, we have seen an unfortunate rise in depression and suicidal ideation in our tweens and younger teens. As most of us can recall, puberty and middle school were times of social anxiety and worry about making friends and fitting in. This developmentally normal process of finding oneself and formulating a personal identity has become more complex with the introduction of social media. Our children are trying to fit in with peers and the millions of people they connect with online.
Once young people start using social media, no matter how innocently, they are likely to slowly and steadily increase the time spent engaging with it. It is perfectly understandable since the sites and apps are designed to be addictive. We strive for those likes.
One of the suggested initiatives is the Wait Till 8 movement. Waiting until at least 8th grade can protect our tweens from the adverse effects of social media during their vulnerable early middle school years. However, unless we band together it is nearly impossible to tell a 5th or 6th grader tha he or she can only have a smartphone in 8th grade when so many of their peers have them.
If parents can come together and make friend group agreements to all wait until 8th grade, it will be less socially isolating and marginally more acceptable for our kids.
The YSB is interested in finding ways to help curious parents network and create a Wait Till 8 movement in Granby. If you think this idea has merit, we invite you to join one of the focus groups we hope to conduct this fall. Call the YSB at 860-844-5355 if you want to attend one.