Naima Estime ‘28
EE Staff Writer
Tanner Clark, a TEDx motivational speaker for teenagers, made a visit to our local Madison Middle School on November 5th. Clark has made a special impact, traveling all around the world helping thousands of teenagers and audiences of this modern age. Clark’s TEDx talk, titled “A Second Strength,” aims to mend student-parent relationships, dive into the brain’s response mechanisms, and aid parents in raising their children during the digital age, especially when so many teens are behind their screens.
On November 5th, families and residents of Trumbull gathered in Madison Middle School’s auditorium, ready to witness Clark’s “A Second Strength.” Clark came through to the audience, urging parents to be mindful of their children and social media. Clark’s powerful words had all viewers questioning their interactions and their use of technology. Many platforms target young audiences in ways that even guardians may not realize. Besides pointing out the many dangers of the internet for teenagers and the impact it has on them, Clark aided parents in understanding their children even through difficult moments.
Through the evolution of social media, parent-teenager connections have become more strained than ever before. Throughout his presentation, Clark had families engage in numerous heartfelt activities, only just beginning to mend family relationships. Clark stressed the importance of a 5-minute hug he had with his young daughter. After a rough night, his daughter could not seem to fall asleep. She kept coming back to her father, each time with a different excuse. After realizing he couldn’t exactly pinpoint what the issue was, Clark offered his daughter a hug, not letting go until she did. The hug ended up being 5 minutes. Sometimes it is difficult for parents to see that through moments of stress and anxiety, all their child needs is a hug. Clark stressed this special moment he had with his daughter not just because of the sweetness of the moment, but also because many parents fail to recognize how these very moments impact their children greatly.
Clark had his audience engage in a tight hug with their loved ones. The smiles and laughter all around the auditorium really emphasized, once again, the importance of these little moments, without the blare of a phone screen.
“You are the biggest influencer in your kids’ lives,” Clark said. “You have to love them through the challenges of social media.”
Even through the evolution of social media and as children grow up, Clark’s message remains clear: parents need to be there for their children, whether that means through hugs, healthy conversations, or making sure their children are safe on social media. Clark left a powerful mark on the families of Trumbull, let’s hope it sparks the changes our society needs to foster healthy and open family relationships. For anyone who would like to learn more about Clark and his platform, click here to follow his Instagram.
A big thank-you to Trumbull PUSH (Parents United for Smart‑Tech Health) for organizing this special event! For more information click here to see their page!