The 2026 International Day of Happiness on March 20 is centered on the theme “Social Media & Happiness,” inviting people around the world to reflect on the complex influences between digital platforms and our well-being. For parents and guardians, this conversation raises an important question: How does social media affect children today?

Even if most young children (Ages 0-8) are not yet active on social platforms, they grow up in a digital environment filled with online communication, video sharing, and messaging. Keep reading for evidence-based suggestions to help families support children in developing healthy digital habits from an early age.

Happiness is a key pillar of Tessa International School’s mission.

Children’s Use of Social Media in the US

Digital technology is now a regular part of childhood in the United States. Research shows that children begin interacting with social platforms earlier than many parents expect.

• Early Exposure to Digital Media: Even very young children encounter digital media daily. A 2025 report found that 40% of children in the U.S. have their own tablet by age 2. 
• Many Children Use Social Media Before Age 13: Although most U.S. platforms require users to be at least 13, nearly 40% of children ages 8–12 reported using social media in 2023. 
• Teen Use Is Nearly Universal: By adolescence, social media use becomes nearly universal. Surveys in 2024 show that about 95% of U.S. teens ages 13–17 use at least one social media platform, with many spending significant portions of their day online.

What Are the Benefits of Social Media for Children?

When used thoughtfully and with adult guidance, social media can offer several meaningful benefits.

Access to Community and Connections

Messaging apps and platforms enable children to stay connected with friends and family across distances. Many of them also view digital spaces as a way to form and maintain social connections with others who share identities, abilities, and interests.

Encouraging Creativity and Confidence

Many social platforms offer opportunities for children to express ideas through texts, pictures, music, and videos. Creating and sharing content under parental or guardian supervision can help children explore interests, build confidence, and experience a sense of achievement. 

A Space for Personal Voices and Advocacy

For older children and adolescents, social media can serve as a form of public sphere to express opinions, support initiatives, and participate in discussions on topics they care about. Guided use can nurture empathy, civic awareness, and a sense of agency.

What Are the Harms of Social Media for Children?

Research highlights potential risks when children use digital platforms without guidance or boundaries.

Social-Emotional Challenges

Evidence suggests that social media has potential to harm the mental health of children and adolescents. Online spaces can expose children to hurtful comments or harassment. Excessive screen time and/or constant social comparison may contribute to anxiety, low self-esteem, or feelings of exclusion.

Exposure to Inappropriate Content

While the internet offers enormous educational opportunities, algorithm-driven recommendations, mixed-age spaces, and unfiltered user-generated content (UGC) may lead children to encounter material that is confusing, frightening, or developmentally inappropriate.

Digital Addiction and Habit Formation

Some apps and personal algorithms are designed to encourage frequent engagement through notifications, likes, and endless scrolling. Younger users may find it difficult to regulate their time online, leading to habits that interfere with schoolwork, sleep, or offline activities.

Parenting Advice in the Age of Social Media

Helping children navigate digital spaces is less about strict control and more about communication, guidance, and modeling healthy habits.

Parents’ attitudes and behaviors around media are a significant influence on a family’s media use habits.

1. Start Conversations Early

Children today are immersed in media-rich environments. Even before children begin using social media, discussing online behavior, safety, and digital etiquette can help them develop awareness and responsible habits.

2. Model Healthy Technology Use

Parents and guardians are children’s most influential role models. By demonstrating balanced screen habits, such as setting phones aside during family time, children can see firsthand how technology can support life without taking over, and learn how to use it thoughtfully and responsibly.

3. Set Clear and Age-Appropriate Boundaries

Young children benefit from clear and consistent boundaries around screen time and device use. The American Academic of Pediatrics (AAP) provides age-specific guidelines that families can reference. A range of parental control tools from built-in platform settings to third-party applications are available nowadays to ensure that children access age-appropriate content in a more structured way.

4. Introduce Quality and Reliable Content 

Rather than leaving them to navigate alone in the variety of online contents, guide them to recognize high-quality and trustworthy resources.

For example, our credentialed teachers carefully select language-learning materials (French, Spanish, and Mandarin) to support learning beyond the classroom in a fun way.

5. Stay Involved and Curious

When children feel comfortable sharing their online experiences, parents can provide guidance more effectively. By showing interest in the games, videos, or social media that children engage with, and asking open-ended questions such as:

• Is this information reliable? 
• Why might someone share this? 
• How does this content make you feel?

These conversations strengthen digital literacy and social-emotional awareness.

6. Enrich Time Offline 

Creating meaningful offline experiences plays an important role in helping children develop a balanced relationship with technology. It is worth noting that children’s screen use often increases during afterschool hours and summer breaks when routines are more flexible. In this context, having access to structured, engaging activities can make a difference, especially to working parents. 

At Tessa International School, our afterschool activities and summer camp program are thoughtfully designed to enrich children’s time beyond the classroom. Through language, arts, sports, and STEM activities, students engage in hands-on learning experiences. Even in STEM-related activities where technology may be present, screen time is intentional and balanced with interactive, real-world exploration.

The Use of Screens at Tessa International School

At Tessa International School, our technology policies and procedures support learning without replacing hands-on experiences or physical activity.

For Nursery and Preschool Students(Ages 2-5): 

Our nursery through preschool classrooms are intentionally free of smart screens, encouraging children to play, explore, and learn in a face-to-face, interactive environment. 

For Kindergarteners and Primary Students (Ages 6-10): 

Screens and tablets are used for limited periods each week, always under teacher guidance and interaction. This practice enriches students’ learning while cultivating technology competence. A firewall ensures access only to appropriate content and software. While some state and international assessments are required to be completed online, all written homework is done with traditional pen and paper.

Supporting children to develop thoughtful and balanced habits with social media and technology helps them build skills that serve them well throughout school, careers, and everyday life. By fostering these habits early, we are helping children grow into mindful and happy individuals ready to thrive in an increasingly connected world.

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