Social Media and Our Kids: How Much Is Too Much?
A new study out of Australia suggests something many parents have wondered: Is there a "just right" amount of time kids should be using social media?
It turns out the answer might be yes. And no.
According to researchers who followed over 100,000 students from grades 4 to 12, kids who used more than two hours of social media per day tended to show lower well-being, including more sadness, worry, and disengagement from school.
But here’s the twist: Kids who used no social media at all also showed lower well-being.
In other words, both extremes, too much and none at all, can put kids at risk. What’s helpful? Moderate use, with guidance and boundaries.
And that’s where we come in.
Not the Villain, But Not the Hero Either
Social media is not inherently evil. At Celebrate Kids, we use it ourselves to connect with parents, encourage families, and spread truth. But we also know this: Social media is not neutral.
It’s a tool. And tools need training. No one hands a 16-year-old a car without teaching them to drive. We shouldn’t hand a child a phone without training them how to use it wisely.
In fact, when we fail to teach our kids how to use social media and let the device shape them instead of discipling them, we risk more than screen fatigue. We risk disconnection from real life and a distorted sense of belonging.
Teach Before You Touch the Feed
Dr. Kathy often says, “If we don’t disciple our kids, the culture will.” That applies here, too.
Before your child ever downloads their first app or posts their first selfie, here are four key truths they need to learn from you:
Your worth is not in likes.
Your identity doesn’t need filters.
Real friends don’t just comment. They show up.
You were made to live a full-color, full-contact life, not a curated one.
What’s the Real Cost? It’s Not Just Time
Social media doesn’t just take time. It can steal something more valuable: opportunity.
Every hour your child spends swiping is an hour they could be developing a skill, building a friendship, serving at church, reading, creating, or resting.
And for many kids, the illusion of connection online actually keeps them from showing up in real spaces with real people who love them. When that happens, identity becomes fragile. Comparison rises, and loneliness grows.
We can’t let screens become their only sense of belonging.
Discipleship > Algorithms
In Acts 2, we see the power of embodied belonging: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer... All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
Belonging wasn’t built through comments or reposts. It was formed through presence. Real relationships. Shared truth. Shared lives.
Social media can be a helpful connection point, but it should never replace true community. The best place to anchor your child’s identity is offline, in the rhythms of real life: family, church, teams, service, and shared conversations.
How to Use the 8 Great Smarts to Guide Healthy Social Media Use
Engage your child’s strengths to build awareness and confidence around technology:
Word Smart: Ask your child to journal or write a blog post about their online experiences. How does it make them feel? Who do they want to be online?
Logic Smart: Study the research together. Look at data like screen time reports and evaluate patterns. Create a “digital diet” and track how it affects mood and motivation.
Picture Smart: Design a screen-time calendar or poster together that illustrates a healthy balance. Have your child draw or collage what “real life” belonging looks like to them.
Music Smart: Make playlists for tech-free times. Use music to cue offline routines like reading, chores, prayer, or family time.
Body Smart: Encourage breaks from the screen with physical movement. Sports, walks, or cooking together can offer the relational grounding they need.
Nature Smart: Spend tech-free time outside. Let the natural world reframe their sense of perspective and slow their pace.
People Smart: Debrief social media experiences regularly. Ask questions like, “What made you feel good today online?” or “Did anything confuse or upset you?”
Self Smart: Give them space to reflect privately. Offer quiet, device-free time to let their thoughts catch up with their heart.
Remember: Moderation isn’t just about limiting harm. It’s about making space for what’s better, for what builds, not just distracts.
So yes, social media might have a "just right" amount. But even more than that, your presence, teaching, and modeling are what help your kids live with purpose online and off.