ST PAUL, Minn. — TikTok has become one of the most popular apps in the world.
People of all ages turn to it for tips, new dance moves, or a good laugh.
But can constantly using it negatively impact your young child's mind and behavior?
Dr. Sarah Jerstad from Children's Minnesota weighs in.
"Kids are influenced by so many things. It absolutely could be something that they would want to follow and maybe even shift behavior around," she said.
But Jerstad went on to say that not every kid is going to model what they see on an app or change their behavior.
If you're seeing an increase in how much your kids use apps like TikTok, it could be their way of coping with difficult things.
"Seeing something on any medium might be a way for their brain to recognize and understand this is a way to express stress," said Jerstad.
That's where you, the parent, can come in.
"Kids aren't always able to tell if what they're following is something that's healthy or not," said Jerstad.
Jerstad recommends that parents promote educational or comedy videos for younger kids. You could also help your kids limit their time on the app. She says long periods of time on any app can pull kids away from opportunities to play sports, music, or socialize with friends.
Parents can even get involved on the TikTok train, too.
"Maybe a family is watching an entertaining video or learning something together. I think there's always room for positive things on media," said Jerstad.
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