Effects Of Social Media On Family Relationships

Family relationships are vital as the family teaches us how to behave and integrate into society. During the past few decades, family relationships were reinforced by spending quality time together and engaging in leisure activities, such as playing board games and going on long walks together. Nowadays, due to the emergence of smartphones, laptops, tablets and television sets, many family members are choosing to while away hours entertaining themselves in separate corners of the home. As a result, many family relationships deteriorate, which leads to members feeling isolated and alone. In recent years, smartphones are the dominant type of phone on the market. Thanks to WiFi connections and data allowance, at the touch of a button one is emerged into the world of social media, and can spend hours scrolling through Facebook and Twitter news feeds, as well as checking e-mails and texting family and friends. Gone are the days of physical contact, as many people stay in touch or contact one another through the medium of a screen. However, the internet is not solely responsible for the breakdown of family …show more content…
Too much over use of internet access in the home can lead to certain family members withdrawing from their relations, which in turn leads to families knowing very little about what goes on in their children’s or parent’s lives. This then results in bonds becoming progressively worse. However, social media and video chat can strengthen bonds, by allowing physically distant family members to stay in touch and know what is going on in each other’s lives. Watching television individually on a regular basis has the potential to emotionally separate families, yet taking time out to watch programmes with your family members in some cases, can make you closer than ever. Media use is neither good, nor bad, it just needs to be used smartly, and in