The Counselor Corner
Trimester 3
Navigating the Digital World This Summer
As we head into summer, conversations with students continue to circle back to one big theme: life online. With more unstructured time ahead, it’s worth thinking about how screens shape kids’ attention, mood, and relationships. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, offers helpful guidance for families trying to navigate today’s digital world.
Rethinking Screen Time
Instead of focusing only on how much time kids spend on screens, Haidt encourages us to look at what they’re doing:
- Supportive use (“the good”): FaceTime with friends, phone calls, or watching a full movie together. These can strengthen connection and attention.
- High-risk use (“the bad”): Short-form videos like TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. These are designed to pull attention quickly and can make offline life feel less engaging over time.
What to Watch for Online
Different apps carry different risks:
- Instagram: Can increase comparison and anxiety through curated images.
- TikTok: Highly addictive short-form content that can affect focus and follow-through.
- Snapchat: Disappearing messages can reduce transparency in communication.
- Gaming/Chat platforms (like Discord & Roblox): Can include direct messaging with strangers if settings aren’t restricted.
Summer Opportunity: Back to “Real Life”
Summer is actually a powerful reset window. More free time means more opportunity for kids to reconnect with offline life—friends, boredom, creativity, and independence.
Haidt and others also raise emerging concerns about AI “friends” or chatbots that simulate relationships. While interesting, they are not a substitute for real human connection.
A Few Small Steps Families Can Try
- Consider phone-free blocks of time or days this summer.
- Talk with other parents about shared expectations around social media and smartphones.
- Encourage real-world independence—time outside, with friends, without screens.
Us Counselors here to support you! Please get ahold of us if you want to talk some ideas through we are happy to help.
Finish The Year Strong
As we head into the final weeks of school, many students begin to feel mentally tired, distracted, or less motivated. This is completely normal! Encourage your student to focus on small goals each day, stay organized, and ask for help when needed. Finishing strong does not mean being perfect — it means continuing to try, even when energy is low. Small efforts now can make a big difference by the end of the year.
Below is a helpful resource from CHADD on organization and executive functioning skills for middle school students
Embrace The Outdoors
Summer is one of the best times for adolescents to spend more time outdoors. Regular outdoor activity is linked to better mental health, lower stress, improved sleep, stronger social connections, increased physical activity, and even reduced risk of anxiety and depression. Unstructured outdoor play and time in nature also support independence, creativity, and cognitive development during the teen years.
Here are 10 ways Middle Schoolers can enjoy the outdoors this summer
Mental Health Matters
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a reminder that mental health is just as important as physical health. Middle school years can bring big emotions, changing friendships, stress, and pressure. We encourage students and families to talk openly about emotions, ask for help when needed, and support one another with kindness and understanding. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength. If you need to be set up with something for over the summer, please reach out to one of us DHMS Counselor for help setting something up. We are here for you! Below is a link to NAMI, a resource that we use a lot at DHMS and share with families.
