This may be even more true for our kids. RELATED: “Sharenting” Is A Threat To Children’s Health And Personal Development In today’s world, many kids are not only taking selfies but are also using selfie technology as a way to speak up.
How do they do this? By using their phones to speak the truth of the moment as they see it.
And when they “speak,” they record more than their voices. They record themselves in their bedrooms, dens, outside — wherever life has taken them. RELATED: The Startling Effect Selfies Have On Your Facial Features These words, whether they be actual words or visual expressions, are often very much from the heart. Sometimes they stay on someone’s phone or get deleted for something else. Our thoughts and feelings — in the form of selfies and self-recordings — flow easily out into the universe. Who knows where they might end up. The Girl in “The Truth, A Short Film,” keeps her diary and speaks out into her video camera or her phone. Maybe one of the most important messages she is really sharing with the public is how intense the feelings, emotions and concerns are to kids as they move from childhood to adulthood. RELATED: The Ultimate Parenting Guide For Keeping Kids & Teens Safe On YouTube Older folks forget a lot of the teen angst. We are way past our first crush, our early rages toward our parents, our fears about changing schools, or our pain at a best friend no longer being one.
But there are tons of kids out there just beginning to experience all of the above and, at times, much more.
My hope is that the “Girl” in the film (and in the book “The Truth”) is a beacon that helps kids feel stronger and more courageous as they undertake all the universal steps of growing up. And I hope she will remind adults and all concerned with our kids, that it does take a village to support, nourish and encourage a kid. RELATED: 10 Weird Reasons Why Your Teen Is So Angry All The Time We all have a role to play. If you’re a parent, listen and advise with intelligence and sensitivity. To all the other players in a child’s life, play by the golden rule. Treat any kid who crosses your path with the kindness, respect and helpfulness that hopefully you got growing up or that you wanted when you were growing up. RELATED: 12 Types Of Selfies That Basically Tell The World You’re A Narcissist Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, internationally known psychologist, author, playwright and filmmaker, is the creator of The Enchanted Self ®, a positive psychology method for happiness. Visit her website for more information about her work. This article was originally published at New Short Film. Reprinted with permission from the author.
