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.