Many years ago, I learned about micronutrients and macronutrients. The key difference lies in the amount required by the body. Macronutrients are needed in large quantities for energy and structure, while micronutrients are necessary in smaller amounts for various biochemical functions and overall health. I was a personal trainer, and I needed to be able to teach my clients the difference between these building blocks. Both play an essential role in helping people feel their best and be the healthiest version of themselves. I’m no longer a personal trainer, but I have come to recognize the immense importance of micro-moments with our children.
Much like micronutrients, these micro-moments play a vital role in helping kids as they grow. Allow me to explain.
If we take a look at our daily lives, they are made up of what I call micro-moments. Micro-moments are brief instances throughout the day that can significantly impact a person’s emotional state, productivity, and overall well-being. A quick conversation with a friend, bending over to pet your dog before you leave for work, leaving a note for a loved one, a quick text… these are all micro-moments. Our kid’s lives are inundated with these moments, as well, many of them happening via a screen. These moments can encourage our children to be present and mindful, helping them to appreciate the small joys in life, or they can be damaging. For social media and increased time in this space, I want to explore how they can be damaging.
Teens are spending an average of five hours on devices a day. Research shows that they check their phones AT LEAST 100 times a day. This almost sounds unbelievable, but if you break it down into ten checks an hour, they reach 100 in 10 hours. And 10 “checks” an hour seems like nothing to a kid with Snapchat. If we break these numbers down even further, it would be disturbing. Out of the average of 100 checks, at least half of those are something that is negative or harmful. It may be issues with friends through a quick snap. It may be a disturbing video through TikTok. However, around half of these micro-moments on social media are not positive in nature. That is like saying, I am going to tell you 50 good things today, but only if I can also tell you 50 “bad” things. We would never sign up for that. But our kids do. Everyday.
I call these micro-moments because they are embedded in our children’s lives in short-form videos and quick snaps. They are not long conversations but rather quick, random bursts of information. Physiologically, our bodies hold onto this information, and we have an incredibly hard time processing the “bad” or negative micro information. I believe it is one of the reasons anxiety is so high among our youth.
To combat this issue, I highly recommend having your own micro-moments with your children. Quality conversations. A bit of time together, device-free. A 10-second hug before their day starts. And, of course, guidelines should be set for their social media intake. It is my belief that all of our micro-moments indeed have macro consequences.
Kristi Bush serves as a national education consultant and social media safety advocate. She is a licensed social worker with greater than 15 years of clinical practice and health care experience. She attended Troy and Auburn University where she studied social work and counseling. Kristi travels nationally and has spoken with thousands of children, parents, professionals and organizations about the benefits and threats associated with social media. You may reach Kristi through her website at www.knbcommunications.com.
Author: Kristi Bush
Kristi Bush serves as a national education consultant and social media safety advocate. She is a licensed social worker with greater than 15 years of clinical practice and health care experience. She attended Troy and Auburn University where she studied social work and counseling. Kristi travels nationally and has spoken with thousands of children, parents, professionals and organizations about the benefits and threats associated with social media. You may reach Kristi through her website at www.knbcommunications.com.
