As a parent, I sometimes wish the days of duckface selfies were long gone. While they seem to have faded, we still contend with the wide-open-mouth, peace-sign photos that seem to dominate my teen’s social media feed. I’m not a fan of selfies myself; they genuinely unnerve me. Watching my daughter snap 75 selfies on our three-minute drive to church can be overwhelming. She insists she needs the perfect shot, and when she once tried to include me, I jokingly gave the camera a less-than-pleasant gesture to ensure it wouldn’t be sent. Of course, it was sent anyway, and now she’s known as the girl with the mom who flipped off the camera. Seriously.
In our house, Snapchat is a constant presence. We’ve got two teens who are glued to it practically 26 hours a day. What has gone wrong with this generation? How did we raise teens who are obsessed with sending each other endless selfies? When I suggested my daughter send something other than a selfie to her friends, she looked at me as if I had two heads. “Like what? What else would I send?” I was left speechless.
Recently, one of our teens missed an entire week of school due to illness, landing in the ER. I can only imagine how her friends flooded Snapchat as soon as they realized she wasn’t at school. I wouldn’t be surprised if they sent her selfies with puffy eyes and a pale face.
But then, an unexpected twist occurred. On the first day she was home sick, the doorbell rang, and it was one of her friends, carrying a milkshake. She knew my daughter couldn’t eat because of her sore throat and decided to treat her. This small act of kindness was enormous in the teen world. The next day, the doorbell rang again, this time with lunch from Panera Bread, courtesy of her “Oh my gosh, Mom, stop calling him my boyfriend” friend. He had actually called in an order and had it delivered to our house! What a thoughtful gesture! I called my husband to let him know he needed to step up his game.
The following day, the doorbell rang yet again. This time, it was a pizza delivery from her best friend, who doesn’t even live in our city. He ordered a pizza and had it sent to our house, covering everything, including the tip. I later called her mom to express my gratitude, and she had no idea her daughter had sent my child lunch. There was no recognition for her friend; she was simply being kind.
On the day we ended up in the ER, my daughter’s phone was buzzing nonstop with friends checking in on her. I observed her Snapchats of her IV, the monitor, her socks—everything in that room. On the last day of her week of isolation, her “Oh my gosh, Mom” friend and another buddy showed up during their lunch hour with burgers from her favorite fast-food place. They sat outside together, providing her some much-needed company and smiles after a long week.
Throughout that week, these kids challenged my perceptions again and again. It was a humbling experience. Perhaps all this technology and social media access isn’t just creating self-absorbed bullies; it’s fostering connections that we didn’t have growing up. While social media can be misused, I learned that it can also be a platform for kindness and generosity.
When I was a teen, if a friend missed school for a week, we might have made a phone call and left it at that. Instant access allowed these kids to demonstrate compassion in ways we couldn’t have imagined. They showed my daughter she was loved and missed. I want to reach out to each of their parents to express my gratitude and commend them.
We often underestimate this generation; they are navigating a complex world with real-time social media interactions, and they are doing an admirable job. If you are a parent of younger children, don’t fear the teen years. The best is yet to come! These kids are incredible, and it’s heartwarming to witness them grow into empathetic young adults, even if we mostly see it through Snapchat.
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Summary
This article reflects on the unexpected kindness exhibited by teens through social media, specifically during a week of illness for the author’s daughter. It illustrates how these digital tools, often criticized for fostering self-centered behavior, can also encourage compassion and connection among friends.
Keyphrase
Impact of social media on teens
Tags
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