Here’s the tricky part: because we crave acceptance, we’ll hide things in our lives that are not acceptable. This is another reason why kids and teens love social media:
- They can manage what they allow people to see on their pages.
- They can choose not to post certain things about their life that they don’t want others to see.
- Tweak or filter an image to make them look better.
- Follow people who are less attractive to make themselves look more attractive.
We want to show the best version of ourselves, sometimes with little consideration of the cost.
We Crave Escapes and Entertainment
“If we could experience digital media through our kids’ eyes, it would look a lot like a playground. What we see on our devices as new features and upgrades, our kids experience as new pieces of equipment on their playground.” – Right Click
Why do we crave particular vacation spots?
Why do we crave certain foods?
Why do we crave being around “our” people?
It’s simple; we crave what we like. I enjoy coming home from work and unwinding by watching a favorite show and catching up on my social media platforms. It’s sort of like an escape from the seriousness of my day. Social media can be this type of positive experience for many people, especially kids. Kids love to have fun and stay connected with what their friends are doing, that’s why they crave social media so much. It seems like the problem comes in when kids let social media become their priority and focus, even to the point where they feel like they may experience FOMO (fear of missing out) so, clear and appropriate boundaries help our kids healthily satisfy their cravings.
Bottom Line
Why do kids crave social media? Simply put, it’s an easy and fun way to meet their needs for connection and acceptance. Social media makes you visible and lets you explore who you are and who you want to be. It helps you find your niche and see what other people think, be careful however, because social media usage can become unhealthy if you let it become your identity instead of your interest.
