Raising Kids in the TikTok Era

In this episode, Grace shares the story of why she decided to ban her daughter Ava from social media after one of her TikTok videos went viral. What started as a fun moment quickly turned into a bigger conversation about how addictive these platforms can be and the impact they can have on kids’ sleep, confidence and mental health, especially when online hate becomes involved.

We talk honestly about influencer culture and the unrealistic expectations it creates for young people, from appearance standards to skincare trends that teenagers suddenly feel pressure to keep up with.

The conversation also turns to how different childhood was for us growing up in the 90s compared to the digital world children are navigating today. We discuss whether technology and even AI are starting to shape parenting decisions in ways we never expected.

We also explore some practical ideas parents are considering, like delaying smartphones, using non-internet phones for younger children and whether schools and parents could work together to create boundaries around social media.

It’s a real conversation about the challenges of raising children in a world where going viral can happen overnight. Don't forget to follow us on instagram @thrivingandsurviving.pod