DETROIT
– Building relationships in the classroom is critical to children’s mental health and academic success, but a new survey found that many parents believe technology – including social media – makes it harder for children to make those choices.

“Half of the parents we spoke to think that technology is preventing children from connecting with their school, their peers and teachers,” said Dr. Ariana Hoet, child psychologist and director of the Kids Mental Health Foundation. “Parents have a really difficult choice to make these days because if we keep kids off social media, they may be excluded, right? Kids are having conversations on social media and if my child isn’t on it, they’re not included. On the other hand, they may do fewer things in person when they’re on social media. So it’s about finding a healthy way to deal with it.”

Some children may feel excluded, which is normal for developing children, Hoet says.

“This is part of growing up,” Hoet said. “Unfortunately, we know that children from diverse backgrounds or from the LGBTQ community feel this even more strongly.”

Hoet said teachers and parents can do more to help children make these important connections.

“We can make kids feel like they belong, and a big part of that is giving kids that opportunity,” Hoet said. “That’s why we want to encourage extracurricular activities. We want to encourage kids to be part of the school community.”

This means that they take part in school events and get to know their teachers and classmates.

“The more a child feels like they belong, the better it is not only for their mental health but also for their safety,” Hoet said. “It helps them cope with stressors that may arise during the school year.”

Children who feel like they belong in school perform better academically and lead healthier lives.

Studies have shown that teachers actually have the most influence on helping students make connections in school because they are the ones who witness these daily interactions in school.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation offers many free resources for teachers and parents to help children build their sense of belonging. You can find these resources here.