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Teen's Parent Frets over TikTok Trends
The advice column urges open communication and parental controls, saying secret monitoring and sweeping bans can drive teens to hide behavior.
A parent of a 14-year-old daughter expressed fear regarding her TikTok usage, citing concerns over dangerous "Challenges," extreme dieting advice, and the platform's influence on the teen.
The mother worries her daughter blindly trusts content creators claiming something is "What everyone is doing," while questioning the app leads to eye-rolling and accusations of misunderstanding her generation.
Advice columnist Annie Lane suggests parents should stay curious rather than critical, emphasizing that open communication is key to maintaining trust while protecting children from the darker side of social media.
Lane advises that transparency differentiates caution from control, recommending parents set reasonable screen time limits and keep phones out of bedrooms while explaining the "Why" behind every rule.
Developing good judgment remains the ultimate goal rather than winning a battle over the app, ensuring parental guidance stays in the teen's head even when she is not around.