06/23/2026
There is a lot of existing and new research about the negative effects of social media on teens. And while there are important conversations to be had about screen time and healthy boundaries, many parents are left wondering: Now what?
The reality is that social media isn’t going away. Today’s teens are building friendships, navigating conflict, expressing themselves, and finding community both online and offline.
So instead of focusing only on reducing screen time, what if we focused on building the skills that help teens thrive wherever relationships happen?
Over the next several weeks, we’ll be exploring three questions that sit at the heart of adolescent development: Who am I? How do I express who I am? How do I connect with other people?
These questions form the foundation of healthy relationships, both online and offline.
1️⃣ Know Yourself - Building identity, confidence, values, boundaries, and self-awareness.
2️⃣ Express Yourself - Learning to recognize emotions, communicate needs, and respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively.
3️⃣ Connect With Others - Developing empathy, social awareness, conflict resolution skills, and deeper relationships.
The goal isn’t simply to help teens spend less time online, but to help them become confident communicators, thoughtful friends, and healthy relationship-builders. These are skills they can carry with them for life, no matter what app, platform, or technology comes next.
Follow along as we break down each step and explore practical ways parents can help teens build these skills every day.
