Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
Hello,
I am Dr. Marie Beatrice Hyppolite. I hold a doctorate in Health Science with emphasis on Global Health and master’s degree in social work. I have over 14 years of experience in the field of health and human services.
This podcast is primarily focused on mental health and the quality-of-life elements that affect it such as divorce, death, domestic violence, trauma, toxic relationships, and single parenthood to name a few. It is no secret that mental health challenges continue to profoundly impact modern society although not enough discussion is given due to stigma. Research has shown an increase of 25 % in mental health crises after COVID-19. It is important to have honest, uncomfortable conversations about mental health while being supportive. Although we are interdependent, change begins with the individual, hence “your world.”
I welcome you to join me on my journey and look forward to your responses.
Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
The Digital Battlefield: Protecting Children from Online Predators
The hidden dangers of our children's digital lives demand more than casual oversight. Between predators lurking behind innocent-looking profiles and the growing mental health crisis fueled by social media addiction, parents face unprecedented challenges in protecting their kids online.
Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite and Mr. Mar Bonhomm deliver a wake-up call about digital parenting that goes beyond simply checking passwords. She explores how predators create fake profiles using children's photos to deceive young users into dangerous relationships. "Your child may believe they're engaging with someone their age, while that person is a grown adult all along," she warns. This deception has led to countless tragic outcomes that might have been prevented with proper monitoring.
Setting boundaries emerges as a cornerstone of effective digital parenting. From establishing screen-time limits to maintaining access to accounts, these guardrails aren't about being the "mean parent" but about fulfilling the full-time responsibility of keeping children safe. Through powerful examples—like temporarily confiscating a visitor's gaming system after bedtime and redirecting toward reading—Dr. Hppolite demonstrates how consistency builds respect while protecting mental health.
The podcast examines concerning trends where children engage in harmful behaviors for online attention, from theft at salons to dangerous viral challenges. These incidents highlight how social media warps decision-making, especially when parents themselves model poor digital citizenship. "Sometimes the parents are less mature than their children," notes Dr. Hyppolite, describing situations where adults post inappropriate content that undermines their authority to guide their children's online behavior.
Building digital wellness requires a multi-faceted approach: school-based literacy programs, strong offline communities, and regular family check-ins in judgment-free environments. Most importantly, parents must instill confidence in their children—the ultimate protection against online manipulation. "If your child is very confident, they won't flinch at cyberbullying," emphasizes Dr. Hyppolite.
Ready to transform how you approach your family's digital life? Listen now and discover practical strategies for raising children who can navigate online spaces safely while developing the real-world connections they need to thrive.
Hello everyone. I'm Dr Beatrice Ippolit and this is your World.
Speaker 2:You know the internet is a worldwide platform. Okay, your child may be exposed to all kinds of predators. Okay, Exactly, and people who don't have the best intentions and, before you know it, the child's inbox is blowing up with messages from all kinds of weirdos and they may be having conversations with these people and before you know it, your child winds up missing or something happened and you know one thing people tend to do posts in their profile picture.
Speaker 1:They use a child yes picture right, while your child may believe that, oh, I'm engaging with a boy or a girl, my age, so that user is pretending to be an underage person yeah, while that person is a grown adult. So that's why you know so. When you say your child may go missing, you know. So it's like while the child for the longest thought that he or she was having a conversation or interacting with their peers and to become, it was, a grown adult All along.
Speaker 1:Too many sick people out there. That's right. I don't have any control on them. You don't have any control on them, but we can try to have control in our own household.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and as a parent, you should have your child's password. You should be able to go into your child's account and see the activity. Okay.
Speaker 1:Some of them, you know, will change it from time to time. You know it today and the next day they change it. I believe that if I were, you know to be that mean parent, because if I were to lose you, I'll lose you regardless, but I will not lose you knowing that I didn't do whatever that I could to save you Right, right To prevent something from happening.
Speaker 1:So, after I play all the cards and did whatever that I needed to do, I knew, as a parent, that I was there, I was on a parent, that I was there, I was on top of the game. When you become 19, 20 or what have you? Whatever that you decide to do with your life, then it's going to be your choice. But while you are living under my roof, you know. So, I know you're 18, you're 16, you're 17,. You're 18,. You think that you're gone? I respect that and I want to treat you as such. Yes, but at the same, talking, I have to be able to make valuable decision in your life, because whatever pain that you may be dealing down the road, that will be my pain as well definitely Definitely.
Speaker 2:Well said, well said Well. I would say also that I think that this topic is of particular importance because our youth, of course, are the future, and I am concerned with the long-term ramifications social media use will have on society, because it really hasn't been around that long, but it has been around long enough to make a significant impact on society. Because it really hasn't been around that long, but it has been around long enough to make a significant impact on society. So I think the jury is still out in terms of what the real impact will be in terms of the long haul, and I'm concerned that it may be disastrous, because right now we're seeing so many anti-social behaviors arise from social media use, so many people that are lacking skills. They spend so much time on a device that they don't even know what it's like to interact with a person and have a healthy connection.
Speaker 1:I had a child over you know for a weekend and of course it's a boy. He came with his game, which I didn't have any problem for him to be on the game, but hey, I controlled the amount of time that he had to be on that game. Of course he didn't like it because at home Was he kicking and screaming you? Know, so it's like at home, apparently. He just think how he pleased.
Speaker 2:And he was used to getting his way at home right Of course.
Speaker 1:He just think how is he pleased. And he was used to getting his way at home, right Of course. But when he was with me and I said I respect the way that they do things at home, but, you set limits.
Speaker 1:This house have a set of walls that you have to go by and since it was summertime, I let him stay up until he was 13 at that time, so, and I let you stay until 11, but I will not be sleeping. I'll be up because no kids, no kids under my watch. I'm going to be up at 11 o'clock.
Speaker 1:I'm going to be up at 1 or 2 or 3 in the morning while I'm sleeping. I should be the last person to be sleeping, not the first one. And he was like by 11? And I told him so it was bedtime. It's like Beatrice, can I get another hour? And the answer was no.
Speaker 2:So what you did was a fine example of effective parenting.
Speaker 1:You set limits, you have limits, you have to yes. And when you set limits, you have to stick with them. Be consistent.
Speaker 1:Not be flip-flopping Right Today. So it's like, oh, you can go to bed at this time. No, when I set up a set of time for bed, so if I said 11, 11, you should be in bed. If it is like school week, there is no 11. By 9 o'clock or 9.30, you should be in bed. So I was not expecting for him not to challenge me. By the time I went to take care of something else, he was still playing. I nicely entered the room and I asked for the game and I said I'm not going to ask twice, Because if I have to ask you twice, you probably will never see that game again.
Speaker 2:And he gave it up.
Speaker 1:He nicely unplugged the game and gave it to me and I went to my room with the game, placed it somewhere and I said, okay, so the next morning you wake up, where is the game? No, today it's time for you to read a chapter from this book, because, at the end of the day, there are many other things that we can get our kids involved.
Speaker 2:I understand.
Speaker 1:financially, people may not have the same situation. Some people may have it much easier than others, so some people may be able to pay music lesson, piano lessons ballet lessons ballet lesson a swimming right course for your kids right or even acting lessons right. Yes, but some people may not have the opportunity or resources to do any of that. I got it, I understand it, but hey, you have the, the parks that's right, there's physical activity there's physical activity which is healthy.
Speaker 1:Exactly you have the perks. You have other things that you can do where you will not have to spend a dime. So engage your kids in other activities because, at the end of the day, social media may have some good impacts or qualities, but it can take a toll on your kids mental health. And mental health, you know, believe it or not, the minute that you were diagnosed with with something, it's permanent.
Speaker 2:You know we're living in a time of mental health crisis, and I often tell people uh, I have a good buddy who, a few years ago, completed his master's degree. If you're in the mental health field, it is your time to shine. Okay, because so many people are suffering, so many people are dealing with all kinds of demons, and so the problem with social media is that it not only becomes addictive, but it gives people a place to go to where they don't have to deal with the world, and then they wind up going deeper in that darker place but it's a choice.
Speaker 1:You know that people make. You know it may be a bad choice, but it's a choice. Yes, and when our kids are making those choices, as parents, that way our walls tend to be very important Absolutely, because we cannot be focusing on social media ourselves and not paying attention where attention should have been paying to.
Speaker 2:I agree. Well, social media should never be a substitute for the genuine support and attention that a parent should give to a child. It should never be a substitute for that and unfortunately, in many situations it is a substitute and because of that, children are having all kinds of negative outcomes.
Speaker 1:And you know, some kids you know get involved into gang activities through social media.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, absolutely. Of course, they have friends that are involved in gangs and they're posting all kinds of pictures with their gang colors and things like that, and this becomes very attractive to them, especially in the absence of a supporter, because the person who's selling to you is going to always tell you that it's cute, it's fun. That's right.
Speaker 1:And you don't know what you're missing, while you're not getting involved. Even at my age I've seen people who I never smoke I'm not a smoker or a drinker or what have you and even at my age you know how many times I find people who tell me oh, you never smoke, you don't drink, or you, girl, you don't know what you're missing.
Speaker 2:At my age. Right, right, you know, they see you as a square you know at my age.
Speaker 1:Yes, For people to try to influence me. Can you imagine for a child who's 13 or 12, or 14 or 15?
Speaker 2:That's funny. I had a similar experience recently where someone offered me drinks and I politely declined, and this person said to me you really like being in control, don't you?
Speaker 2:yeah, like being in control, because one thing I don't want to do is be wasted and be in a situation where I'm at the mercy of others, because exactly because if you're not in control, then you're gonna have the system be in control of you, and I don't think that is something that you that's right and as a big proponent of personal responsibility okay, I'm I know that, at the end of the day, I'm ultimately responsible for my life and my well-being, as you show as you show, mr bono.
Speaker 1:Yes, as you show my next question how can social media platform be designed to promote healthy online interaction and mitigate negative impacts on mental health?
Speaker 2:well, I think one thing that might help and I think maybe this is something that, uh, mark zuckerberg and some of these people who've created these platforms might want to consider is maybe they could set up separate, uh social media platforms that are designed for young people.
Speaker 2:So this way they're not interacting with adults, they're not interfacing with adults, they're not seeing all this inappropriate content. So maybe they could set up, say, social media platforms that are more kid-friendly, right, that are targeted for children, that have Nickel, you know, nickelodeon, animation, all kind of things that kids enjoy, and then have those websites, have those platforms devoted to those things. You know, I think that might give some parents a little peace of mind, you know.
Speaker 1:Yes, I agree, you know. So that would be ideal, you know, to have a kids friendly platform, for kids only you know, to interact. However, in everything they're always gonna be some negative impact. So because some kids nowadays you just look at them and you're like you.
Speaker 2:You can tell yeah, that they're a problem. Who raised them? Yeah, that's the first question they ask.
Speaker 1:Who raised those kids? That?
Speaker 2:you ask them yeah.
Speaker 1:And it's sad.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Many times that I had the privilege to ride the train, I always find a situation to shake my head yes, yes, and I'm like what's going on?
Speaker 2:Unfortunately and I've said this before you have a lot of kids that are just simply not being raised. No one is really teaching them anything, and they're getting all their information from either social media or the streets.
Speaker 1:And kids are getting themselves involved into dangerous situations. Recently there was a video that went viral. It was a very sad video and I probably will not wish that on anybody's kids. Apparently, it seemed. The child went to a beauty salon, you know, after she had her hair done and she decided not to pay and the hairstylist you know to be a young person herself took mother into her own hands. Thing went crazy. So while everybody was like beating on the hairstylist who was to be a maybe in her, maybe 18 or 19.
Speaker 2:How did the hairstylist react to that? Because that's theft.
Speaker 1:Oh no, she took mother into her own hands, you know did she unalive the person? You know, she beat the girl, she caught the hair, you know, okay. So it was like so she assaulted. She assaulted the customer for for for the video to went viral and for the girl to be dealing with that humiliation was not pleasant, and I can only imagine the mental health challenges that that child will have to deal with.
Speaker 2:The trauma.
Speaker 1:Exactly, but at the same time, I want people to see things both ways. Want people to see things both ways. So, while everybody was saying that their hairstylist was wrong, but what the girl did you know, she probably was 15 or 16, was wrong as well.
Speaker 2:Of course.
Speaker 1:And I think you know that's where you know us, as parents have to step in to educate our kids on white and wrong Instilling, morality Instilling morality values into those kids, to differentiate between wrong and right, because for you to enter a place to have your hair done, if you don't have the money to pay for the service, you don't belong there.
Speaker 2:Right, because you're wasting someone's time and labor.
Speaker 1:No, you don't belong there. I personally witnessed that once I went to have my hair done, one girl came. She probably was 15 or 17.
Speaker 2:This is in one of the chairs next to you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she was before me. I was waiting for her to finish to have my hair done next, so before I even know it. So she had a nice week that day. The hair stylist did, you know, really give her a wonderful job. And she stood up and told the hair stylist that she was gonna take the money from her mother was waiting outside for her and the girl took off, you know, and the job was done for $200. So why did she stole from the hairstylist? So those are the things that we cannot allow our kids to go outside and do. We have to educate them. We have to educate them. We have to sit them down and have a conversation because at the end of the day, they will get hurt and we don't want that to happen.
Speaker 1:No kid should have to go through that painful situation.
Speaker 2:And then you have videos that are circulating on the internet where kids are engaged in these kinds of behaviors and they make it look cool and trendy, right?
Speaker 1:It's not cool. It's just for their likes, Exactly. You know they think that it's cool. No, it's not cool. Anything can happen to you.
Speaker 2:Right. You might recall, a few years back, especially on the heels of the pandemic right, there were issues where ice cream makers had to recall their ice cream product because people were licking the ice cream. They were literally opening the lids and licking the ice cream, closing it and putting the ice cream back on the counter. Okay, and this was something that people were doing and it was actually trending, it was going viral. And then you had a whole bunch of teenagers that were engaged in this behavior and they all thought it was cute. But just imagine if you were in the grocery store and you happen to pick that pint of haagen-dazs. How would you feel if you knew that someone licked it before you opened it?
Speaker 1:and consumed it.
Speaker 2:Awful right, that's helpful, oh wow yeah yeah, that had been trending for a while and that was on social media and just like, um, you have all these weird challenges that they have on social media, with ice buckets and people standing on crates and doing all these weird stunts and stuff, and a lot of these behaviors are very dangerous. Just because you see it trending, that doesn't mean that you have to engage in it, and I think that's an important conversation parents should have with their kids. If they see behavior that's trending, trending, if it becomes cool to set yourself on fire, that doesn't mean you have to do it exactly, yeah, exactly, but unfortunately so.
Speaker 2:We have parents who, I think, sometimes the parents are more mature than their children exactly, and sometimes you feel that those parent needs.
Speaker 1:It need an intervention and I remember one time so I had a conversation with a school teacher, so who probably, who have seen a lot and many times, you know, for kids who tend to misbehave when they call their parents and by the time the parents come to the school they're like oh shoot, that parent needs a parent herself or himself well, when I taught in the school system, I had encounters like that.
Speaker 2:I had a few parents that actually this their children were more mature than them and their children were embarrassed of them when they would come for parent-teacher conference.
Speaker 1:I don't know who sent me that video, but I was not thrilled at all by watching it. It was like a mother whining or throcking so sometimes I get the terms mixed up in front of her child and that child was like I'm like, so that's what you do? What are you teaching your child on social media? Yes, and lately so it seemed, because everybody you know so want to be you know. Oh, nobody, you're not paying my bills. I'm the one paying my bills. No, nobody tells me what to do, but if what you are doing, it's inappropriate, if what you're doing can put your kids in danger, then somebody need to tell you.
Speaker 2:That's right, and a lot of times parents aren't. There are many parents that aren't even aware that certain behaviors are inappropriate. They don't have the discernment to know that there are certain things you don't do around your child. So you have parents that are twerking in front of their toddler okay, and they don't mind, they don't see anything wrong with that. Meanwhile, that toddler is one day going to grow up, okay, and they're going to look back and find that video and say, mom, what were you doing?
Speaker 1:You know, or even go and do worse. And when they're doing it now, you may be doing it with close on, and the next time you know they may be doing without any close on. And so what you're going to do? You're going to try to redirect them or correct them. No, so they are just modeling your behaviors.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, you, you know, and sometimes, as parents, we do so many crazy things where you know the the power of being a parent into your child influence it's, it's being taken away because you don't have anything to offer. So how the heck you're gonna discipline me or tell me not to do this or not to do that, while you are doing the same thing?
Speaker 2:Right, it's like the blind leading the blind.
Speaker 1:You know, so I don't know. It's society is.
Speaker 2:Yes, we're. Unfortunately, we've been in a very bad way with social media and it seems like it's getting worse.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, it's sad to say it, but that's the reality. What are some effective strategies for promoting digital literacy and online safety among youth?
Speaker 2:Well, I think schools could become involved in that regard. Schools could actually do classes or workshops or have maybe contractors come in and teach young people about social media and digital literacy. I think that's a role that education or educators can play in definitely.
Speaker 1:Okay, so how can we promote a culture of digital wellness responsibility among youth?
Speaker 2:Well, I think one thing we can do is create standards. Okay, create standards in terms of how much social media time we use, how much time we spend online, putting controls on that, being mindful of content, you know, because everything that you interact with, everything you interface with, impacts your mental health in some way, and that's why I would say I say it's very, it's very important that you be mindful what you expose your mind to. Some things are just not healthy for you. So, I think, putting controls on how much time you spend on social media, as well as being mindful of content, just having certain standards in place so that when you do utilize social media, that it's healthier.
Speaker 1:Or engaging yourself in meaningful activities.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, particularly activities that enrich, right, that where you can learn like. So, let's say, you can go to a Social media website where they talk about learning languages, learning new languages or any other new skill. All these things are enriching, okay, as opposed to you just wasting time looking for things that just make you laugh or stimulate you in some way, okay. So we're talking about things that parents can do to make the social media experience healthier for their children Having open conversations, open dialogue, engaging in honest and open discussions about social media use, setting boundaries, establish screen-free zones and times, such as meals on or before bedtime, monitor usage, track and limit social media use and encourage a healthy balance between online and offline activities and, of course, modeling healthy behavior, demonstrate responsible social media use and online behavior. Definitely, these are some really good, effective ways of making the social media experience healthier for young people.
Speaker 1:And be present. Yes, that's very important as parents, caretakers or caregivers Be present. Yes, yes, you know Because being a parent is not a part-time job. It's a full-time job.
Speaker 2:It sure is.
Speaker 1:And you don't have the luxury to pick and choose. Yes, because having a child, taking care of a child, being the parent of a child it's a very, very, very hard and difficult responsibility, but at the end of the day, it's a responsibility that we decide to take upon here we go. So those kids, they didn't ask to be brought into the world. We made a decision to bring them, that's right.
Speaker 1:But if we made a decision to bring them into the world, we should make ourselves available. Yes, you know, full time, 24 seven, to be in their lives.
Speaker 2:And I think what's really important also is that parents instill a strong sense of confidence in their children. Okay, because if your child is very confident, your child won't flinch at online bullying or cyberbullying. Okay, your child will just know to turn off the computer and just find something constructive to do Maybe go outside and play or go and interact in the real world. Okay, so it's really important that parents instill a very strong sense of confidence and self-esteem.
Speaker 1:And allow other people to be part of your kid's life.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Because sometimes you know has parents be having, they Everything to take care of. You may miss some, some Use, but as your friend or a sister.
Speaker 2:Yes, having that extra pair of eyes.
Speaker 1:So you know how it used to be back in the days.
Speaker 2:Yes, we call it the village.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly. So we had that village around your child, because I may see something and I'm like, oh, I don't like that or something that I may question, but I can bring it, allow me to bring it to your attention. And when I bring it to your attention, then find a way to have a decent conversation with your child.
Speaker 2:Your child should have a solid offline community.
Speaker 1:Exactly Very important, and when you sit down with your child and I think it's something that parents should have done on a regular, even every week or every other week or monthly have a conversation with your, with your kids check in with your child. Check in exactly so, and when you do that, create a good environment to do it agreed. You know, if they love mcdonald's, take them there wherever we have a place that they love to go to eat.
Speaker 2:Sure, give them that safe space.
Speaker 1:Take them there and you know that you can start a conversation and be open and try not to judge, because as kids we don't want to be judged, of course, and even if it is by our own parents. So, and from there, so you, so you, you, you will know if there is anything bothering them, it's right if you know they had any bad intention of hurting themselves or somebody else. Be proactive, sure you know, into your kids life because the key is to foster healthy communication yes indeed that's what we want to do.
Speaker 1:OK, on that note, I'll let everybody go. It was with you, Dr Beatrice Ippolit, with your world.