Is Social Media Hurting Your Teen’s Self-Esteem?
For many parents of teens and preteens, social media feels like a constant undercurrent in family life. Even when no one is actively scrolling, its influence is there — shaping how kids see themselves, how they measure success, and how they decide whether they’re “enough.”
It’s understandable that parents feel uneasy. You may notice your child scrutinizing their appearance more closely, tying their mood to online feedback, or comparing their everyday life to someone else’s highlight reel. The natural response is often to want to limit, block, or remove social media entirely.
But confidence in today’s world isn’t built by pretending social media doesn’t exist. It’s built by helping kids learn how to engage with it thoughtfully, understand its impact, and anchor their sense of worth in something deeper than likes or followers. That work happens through media literacy, values-based guidance, and ongoing, open conversations — not just deleting apps.
