Digital Well-Being—Preventing Kids from Becoming Emotionally Dependent on Likes

Digital Well-Being—Preventing Kids from Becoming Emotionally Dependent on Likes

Written by : Cierra - Cybersecurity Expert
Published on 2025-11-23 / 21:47

Emotional dependence is a huge need for affection from others, whether in a family, love, professional, or friendship relationship. At the slightest quarrel or disagreement, the dependent person imagines that he or she will be abandoned. If you are an emotional addict, this dependence puts you and those around you, to whom you have an important emotional demand, in great pain. Indeed, the emotional signs that your entourage sends you seem constantly insufficient. You want to make sure that this person loves you, so you may even go so far as to try to take control of the other person’s life.

Your relationship with others is governed by the idea of being reassured about your ability to be loved, and a strong need to be reassured about the feelings the other person may have for you. You are therefore particularly anxious if you send a message to your partner and he/she does not answer right away. This creates a great imbalance between your relationship with yourself and the other person. The other person is more valuable than you are, and it is impossible to live without them. You put the other person on a pedestal, and you think that this person is indispensable to your life. You consider your loved ones, whether it is your family, your lover, or one of your friends, as your God who has control over your life. Therefore, the other is the one who will also have control over our emotional states and will determine them. For example, if you said “no” to someone you love, you will feel sad or angry at yourself. So you avoid feeling that way by accepting requests from people around you very often.

How Social Approval Shapes a Child’s Online Experience

Social media encourages connection, creativity, and expression. But it also introduces an emotional reward system: likes, hearts, comments, shares. For children still forming their identity, this digital feedback can become deeply influential. What starts as fun sharing can turn into quiet pressure to be noticed or validated.

Kids may begin to worry about how many likes their post receives or feel discouraged if their content doesn’t get attention. Over time, this emotional dependency can impact confidence, focus, and mental well-being.

Why Emotional Guidance Matters

Children who rely heavily on online approval may experience:

Anxiety about posting
Sensitivity to criticism or low engagement
Pressure to overshare
Comparison with peers
Fear of missing out

Addressing this early helps prevent long-term emotional strain.

Helping Kids Develop Healthy Social Media Habits

Parents play a key role in shaping how children view online interactions.

Talk about intention before posting. Ask them what they hope to express, not what they hope to receive.

Normalise low engagement. Explain that likes do not measure talent, beauty, or worth.

Encourage offline activities. Sports, hobbies, and real-life friendships offer healthier forms of validation.

Model balanced behaviour. Kids learn from how adults use social media, too.

**Tips for helping kids avoid the “Tyranny of the Like“**

Talk to your children. It is necessary to have conversations with children to find out how they experience interpersonal relationships with their environment, which people have the most influence on them or who they follow on social networks … This dialogue should develop in a natural way, in relaxed moments in which they feel comfortable; never after an argument over the use of the mobile phone that leads them to lock themselves up.
Work on their self-esteem. Adolescents are in the midst of the formation of their character and personality, so they need to be valued from the outside. Look for the things you do well and acknowledge them when you least expect them. Although it may not seem like it, our recognitions and evaluations reinforce your self-esteem and can help you if you experience any rejection or lack of recognition by others, for example, in the digital environment.
Make sure they have several groups of friends. With whom can you experience different ways of thinking and relating? If they only have an environment of friends, they will be much more vulnerable and influenced if they suffer rejection or do not feel sufficiently valued. A group related to one of your hobbies may be an option
Set medium to long-term goals and plans for your children. They need to learn that not everything is instant – the most important things take time, effort, and dedication.

Raising Kids Who Value Themselves Beyond Screens

Your child’s confidence should never depend on numbers on a screen. By teaching them to view social media as a tool, not a measure of worth, you help them develop deeper emotional resilience. Healthy digital habits today support a balanced, confident mindset tomorrow.

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