Column: Dr De Silva On Children, Safety & More

[Column written by Dr. Sandy De Silva]

This World Children’s Day, families across Bermuda – and around the world – are asking the same urgent question: How do we keep our children safe and healthy in a digital age?

The rise of social media and smartphones has changed childhood. While technology connects, entertains, and educates, it also carries risks that are impacting young people’s mental health. Psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in The Anxious Generation, describes this as the “great rewiring of childhood,” linking the rapid spread of smartphones and social media to sharp increases in anxiety, depression and loneliness among adolescents.

At Family Centre, we see this every day: unfiltered screen use contributing to anxiety, disrupted sleep, and social isolation. Parents, educators, and researchers are aligned on one truth: The way children engage with technology is profoundly shaping their overall wellbeing.

Globally, the numbers are alarming:

• The average teenager now spends 4+ hours a day on screens. This is in addition to their online schoolwork, and much of the screen time is unsupervised.
• Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media are nearly twice as likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• The Cyberbullying Research Center in the US reports that 30% of the teens they surveyed said that they have been cyberbullied at some point in their lives.

We cannot ignore these realities. But we can take steps – together – to safeguard our children.

1. Recognise that change is needed

Surveys show that two-thirds of parents worry about the impact of social media on their child’s wellbeing, and teens themselves admit they often feel “addicted” to their phones. Families in Bermuda are already responding by delaying smartphone access, removing devices from bedrooms, and modelling healthier tech habits. Polls also reflect growing support for restricting social media access for children under 16, with countries like Australia leading the way. Change is not only needed – it is wanted!

2. Limit smartphones in schools

The evidence is clear: students perform better when phones are restricted in classrooms. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s [OECD] 2025 report found that schools with stricter phone policies saw higher literacy and maths scores, and lower levels of bullying and distraction. At the same time, technology used in the right way can be a powerful tool for learning – particularly for students who learn differently. Assistive apps, digital resources, and adaptive learning platforms can help children access content, practise skills, and build confidence. The challenge is finding the right balance such as limiting unstructured phone use while embracing technology that genuinely supports learning. Parents should ask their children’s schools what their policies are and ensure schools and families are on the same page about rules and expectations.

3. Delay social media until children are developmentally ready

Research shows that critical thinking and perspective-taking skills strengthen significantly after age 14. Waiting until mid-adolescence before introducing social media reduces exposure to harmful content such as disinformation, body image pressures, and cyberbullying, all of which increase during adolescence due to the targeting of these messages to teens. Having these discussions are critical and could protect children during their most vulnerable years. But this can only be successful if parents and schools unite on this approach.

4. Foster real-world independence and connections

Today’s children are overprotected in the real world but underprotected online. However, research consistently shows that unstructured, real-world play improves resilience and wellbeing. Children who spend time outdoors and engage in independent activities are more likely to develop better social skills, lower stress, and greater confidence. Encouraging children to help with chores or volunteer in the community builds resilience that no screen can provide.

At Family Centre, our programmes focus on strengthening young people [and by extension, their families] by offering positive alternatives to screen time. We provide counselling services and therapeutic groups that build social skills, emotional resilience and encourage healthy relationships, and afterschool programmes that empower youth through sports, mentorship, mindfulness, and discovering their leadership potential. We see transformation every day when youth interact with others in positive and meaningful ways and families reconnect, resulting in positive mental health.

This World Children’s Day, let’s commit to practical but bold changes: delay access to social media, limit smartphone use at home and in schools, model healthy technology use habits, and create more opportunities for real-world connections.

Children deserve not just protection, but the chance to grow into confident, capable adults. It is by working together – families, schools, youth-serving organisations, and government – that we can safeguard Bermuda’s children and help them to thrive.

- By Dr. Sandy De Silva, PsyD, Executive Director, Family Centre

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