What is FOMO and The Impact On Our Teens | Robin Axelrod Sabag | Episode 39

Parents have heard the term FOMO, fear of missing out, and may wonder exactly what is FOMO and why is it such a big deal? After all, we missed out on things growing up and it wasn’t a thing. When we compare our own experience with our children’s, it can be tempting to tell them to forget about it, get over it, or stop being melodramatic. But therapist and author Robin Sabag says FOMO is real and tells Mighty Parenting listeners how technology partners with biology to influence our kids. Judy Davis and Sandy Fowler find out why this is happening, the impact on our teens, and ways to help our teens so they are not harmed by it.

A Favorite Quote from the FOMO Show:

FOMO can cause the amygdala to tell us we are in danger, creating fear and anxiety.

High Points of the Discussion about FOMO and the Impact on Our Teens:

FOMO is the fear of missing out, being afraid someone, somewhere else is having more fun or a better experience than you are.

When we were kids we weren’t constantly connected so, if we had to miss out on an event or a friend’s get-together, we could distract ourselves and be in the moment wherever we were. Now, with the constant connection of cell phones and social media, whatever our kids are missing out on is put right in front of them.

This fear is real. Their amygdala in their brain tells them they are in danger and this creates fear and anxiety on a biological level.

When your child comes to you, expressing these fears, don’t dismiss it; dig in and ask why they feel that way. Then help them separate the digital world and the real world.

It’s easy to blame technology but technology is not the enemy. Help your child learn:
• To work with technology in a healthy way
• Validate their feelings and listen
• Don’t give advice
• Tell them “Let’s slow it down a little” or “Maybe a face-to-face interaction is appropriate here”. Then talk about things they could say to their friends.
• Help them review texts and see it in a more objective light

Our kids have not learned the social skills for face-to-face interactions. They don’t know how to pick up cues so we need to help them learn.

Don’t police them.

Sit down as a family and come up with ideas for using tech instead of letting tech use us.

Our Guest:

Robin Axelrod Sabag,LCSW is the author of Strong Girls, Strong Parents, a Guide to Raising Teenage Girls in a New Era. Sabag is a clinical social worker, and marriage and family therapist who has been helping teens and their families to improve their communication skills and to build stronger family bonds for over fifteen years. She also works with individuals and couples.

Robin Sabag has worked in a variety of settings, including residential treatment centers and outpatient settings, and been in private practice as the provider of clinical and oversight services. A sought-after mental health expert, she often speaks and writes on the topic of teenage girls and has been adjunct professor at Temple University. Additionally, Sabag has been on Fox TV, offering advice on how to discuss hate crimes with children
To learn more or connect with our guest, visit https://www.robinsabagtherapy.com/

Strong Girls, Strong Parents: A Guide to Raising Teenage Girls in a New Era