By now, you've realized that almost all teenagers are completely connected to their phone. We created this. Yes, you and I and our "can you hear me now" generation need to take the responsibility of putting the power of everything, at anytime, in the hands of our teens.
Here's a quick reality check—the digital world that teens inhabit today looks nothing like the one we might remember from even five years ago.
Here's what we know: teens aren't just using different platforms—they're thinking differently about how, when, and why they engage online. They're spending significant portions of their day on apps many adults have never heard of, seeking human bonds through channels that didn't exist a decade ago, and creating authentic communities in spaces that traditional outreach efforts often miss entirely.
This isn't about keeping up with trends for the sake of being cool. It's about recognizing that if we want to support teen development, mental health, and engagement, we need to understand where teens actually are and how they naturally connect with resources and each other.
Look at the game Roblox and it's impact on kids. Roblox has become a hugely popular platform among children, with over 85 million daily users, nearly half of whom are under 13, offering exciting opportunities for creativity, problem-solving, and social connection through game design and multiplayer interaction. However, alongside these benefits come significant risks, including exposure to inappropriate content, encounters with online predators, and costly in-game purchases that many young users struggle to manage. As parents and caregivers, staying informed and engaged is essential to helping children enjoy Roblox safely and might I say...responsibly. Healthtek has always been a gaming company with our Binx Resiliency Network. Recently, Binx has shifted into more of a health related media but at the heart of it all, it's a game platform running on Discord. We strive to keep it a safe haven for teens of all ages.
So here's the short of it. Whether you're an educator, parent, youth worker, or simply someone who wants to better understand the teens in your life, this newsletter offers a realistic look at meeting teens where they actually are—not where we think they should be.
We have to stop trying to change behavior based on what we learned growing up in the digital age and identify ways to inform them today and to look for warning signs when they encounter danger.
I'd love to hear about what you're doing to impact your teen's behavior that meets them where they're at while keeping them safe.
Reach out if you can, Yon Hardisty
In this issue:
The Real Digital Landscape:
Where Teens Actually Spend Their Time
Don't Miss:
Wellness Wednesday's
Supporting Teen Mental Health:
In a Social Media World
Small Screens, Big Impact:
The Mobile-First Generation
Upcoming Webinar
Tough Enough to Cry
Coming next week is a webinar with Marco Ansaldo, a Wellness & Compliance Advisor, who dives into how men deal with their mental health in a webinar properly labeled, "Tough Enough To Cry".
This recent webinar provided essential information for tackling these critical topics. The in-depth session equipped attendees with the knowledge needed to address these important issues effectively.
Gone are the days when Facebook ruled teenage social media. Today's teens have migrated to platforms that speak their language, and the numbers tell a compelling story about where we need to focus our attention.
YouTube is used by the most teens: 90% use it, making it the undisputed king of teen platforms. But the real action happens across a multi-platform ecosystem. Majorities also use TikTok (63%), Instagram (61%) and Snapchat (55%), creating a diverse digital environment where teens move fluidly between different types of content and interaction.
The shift is dramatic. The share of teens who say they use Facebook, a dominant social media platform among teens in the Center's 2014-15 survey, has plummeted from 71% then to 32% today. If you ask your teen about Facebook they almost always say, "this is where old people hang out." And in part, that's true.
This isn't just about changing preferences—it's about teens gravitating toward platforms that offer the kind of authentic, creative, and immediate connection they're seeking.
What's particularly interesting is how platform usage varies by demographic. Instagram and TikTok are used more widely by teen girls than teen boys. For example, 66% of girls say they use TikTok, compared with 59% of boys. Understanding these nuances helps organizations tailor their approach to reach different teen populations effectively.
The intensity of teen digital engagement is worth noting too. 46% of teens are online "almost constantly" and 47% are online "several times a day". This isn't necessarily problematic—it's simply the reality of how teens live and communicate today.
So how do we get involved? Snapchat is a great way to stay connected to your teen's life without being in their life every minute of the day. Creating "streaks" is repetitive and can cause impulsive behavior, but it can also keep you connected to your friends and loved ones where they are at. I snap my teenagers every day and while I find it somewhat silly-it shows me that they're thinking about me enough to include me in their life while doing the things they love.
Additional apps and games that your teen is likely spending time on include:
Steam: is a popular digital platform for PC gaming, acting as both a storefront and a way to manage game installations and updates.
Redbubble: is an online marketplace where independent artists can sell their designs on a variety of products like clothing, phone cases, and home decor. Older teens like this site to make extra money. Think of it as their digital way to mow lawns to make extra cash.
Minecraft: is a 3D sandbox video game that has no required goals to accomplish, allowing players a large amount of freedom in choosing how to play the game.
Overwatch: is centered around objective-based modes, where two teams of six players each compete to capture or defend specific points on the map or to escort a payload across the map.
Call of Duty: is a first-person shooter military video game series and media franchise. This game is extremely realistic and graphically intense. It's likely that your son has played or witnessed this game and is available on almost all gaming systems.
Discord: is a free social communication platform where users can text, talk, video chat, and share screens with each other. Many kids use Discord to communicate while gaming and will often run both Steam and Discord at the same time. Healthtek also offers Discord web interface exclusively crafted for Healthtek Hubs.
Spotify and Apple Music: are popular digital music, podcast, and audiobook streaming services. Kids share play lists and communicate through their music tastes and genre. It also provides access to a vast library of songs, allowing users to stream or download music for a monthly fee.
Pintrest: Older teens like Pintrest to gain ideas and share their artistic creations and is a visual discovery platform where users can find, save, and share ideas.
Hulu and Netflix: Gone are the days of cable TV. Your teens are primarily connected to streaming services like Hulu and Netflix giving them endless entertainment likely shared with friends.
Amazon for Teens: previously known as Teen Login, allowed teenagers aged 13-17 to shop on Amazon with their own accounts, linked to a parent's Amazon Household. This allowed parents to share Prime benefits like fast, free shipping, Prime Video, and Prime Gaming, while also managing purchase approvals and spending limits.
Apps like Calm and +Health Challenges, connects teens to both physical and mental health activities. +Health Challenges also encourage the teen to get creative in building their own challenges with friends such as a Steps Challenge or a Gratitude Challenge or even a Starbuck's Challenge. They can invite friends to create healthy behaviors which can help shape the character of the teen and ultimately provide the much needed mental and physical exercise they are likely lacking.. Better yet, they can win awards for participation in the Inspiration Market.
Text Communications: The average teenager in the United States sends and receives between 50 and 100 text messages per day! Girls typically text more than boys making this extremely important to stay engaged in their communications. This doesn't mean spying on them, but simply getting involved in their friend groups.
One thing is for sure. The best way to get involved, is to get involved in your teen's digital ecosystem. This doesn't mean that you're in the apps all day, eating away valuable time that you don't have. It means you're connecting with them where they are spending their time. Intervene and get involved. Your teen will think it's cool (or not), but I can tell you this—they won't forget mom joining in a game of Call of Duty.
P.S - Healthtek has recently released it's brand new +Health Challenges app for Android and iPhone. Make sure you take a look since right now, you can download it for FREE by scanning the QR code or pressing Get the App.
Don't Miss!
Wellness Wednesday's
Where
Twitch
When
Every Wednesday at 9 AM PT
Connect
Online (Twitch)
With Counselor
Bev
Join us at 9:00 A.M. PT for Wellness Wednesday, where we help individuals cultivate mindfulness, relaxation, and focus. It's free to join, and we encourage everyone to offer this opportunity to your clients.
Millions of teens use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat every day—not just for fun and inspiration, but as a regular part of how they communicate and express themselves. Along with these benefits, however, come risks that can impact emotional well-being, especially during the critical years of adolescence.
Today's teens don't just use mobile devices—they think mobile-first. This shift toward smaller screens isn't about convenience; it's about accessibility, privacy, and the kind of intimate, personal connection that mobile devices provide.
The move toward what some call "downscreening" reflects how teens want to engage with content and services. They prefer experiences that fit naturally into their daily routines, whether they're walking between classes, riding the bus, or relaxing in their rooms. This preference for mobile-optimized experiences extends beyond entertainment to include educational content, mental health resources, and community engagement.
Organizations looking to connect with teens need to think beyond traditional desktop experiences. The most successful teen engagement happens through platforms and tools designed specifically for mobile interaction. This means shorter content formats, vertical video, intuitive touch interfaces, and experiences that work seamlessly whether teens have five minutes or an hour to engage.
The implications go beyond just making websites mobile-friendly. It's about fundamentally rethinking how we present information, structure interactions, and create meaningful connections through small screens. Teens have shown us that powerful engagement doesn't require large displays—it requires thoughtful design that respects their digital habits and preferences.
My teen, maybe like yours is connected to multiple apps and streaming services all at once. While studies have found this unhealthy, it's a reality. YouTube playing their favorite show while building a city in Minecraft, all while their mobile phone is connected to a group of friends on Discord, is all too common. The connected team is always on, always engaged.
Finding ways to limit their interaction without "taking away their freedom" is paramount. Ideas to consider include some of the tried-and-true methods such as walking the dog both before and after they get home from school. Music with real instruments, playing catch, riding their bike, swimming, going for walks or sports activities, and friend meet-ups are all important. This doesn't mean they won't be connected. They will be multi-connected with both digital and physical reality. This is the new ecosystem for teens. It's important that we build healthy environments of encouragement to intersect both physical and digital activities throughout the day. Building habits that stick is key.
I'd love to learn more about how you're impacting the teens in your life.
If you have methods to join them where their at in their daily digital life, please let me know.
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