Don’t panic – five ways to stop your kids’ endless scrolling

Parenting has never been easier, but raising children in an age where screens are everywhere, while we’re still learning how they affect us, can be overwhelming.

Dr Tony Sampson, reader in digital communications at the University of Essex, says parents should not fall into the trap of moral panic.

“There’s a tendency for concerned parents to get caught up in the media frenzy and view all adolescent minds as vulnerable to social media addiction,” he says.

But children and teenagers have something called neuroplasticity – their brains are better at adapting and bouncing back than adults’ brains.

“We read a lot about the ways social media erodes attention,” he says.

“(But) social media doesn’t shorten or erode attention spans. It takes it and turns it into engagement with business content.

“Positive use of technology helps foster neuroplasticity for creativity, exploration, and learning.”