Joey Lawrence Admits the 'Crazy Stuff' That Goes Down on Social Media Turned Him Into a 'Helicopter Parent'

Joey Lawrence doesn't care if his daughters think he can be a bit overbearing.

In a new interview, the TV star admitted he's become a "helicopter parent" when it comes to his two eldest girls.

"I think it's the first time in history where things are fundamentally different to the way they were when we were growing up," explained Lawrence, 47, noting how the internet and social media have changed everything. "It's the whole world you have to worry about now."

"Everybody's got a platform and you can bully from near or far," he pointed out. "It's very tough to navigate as a young person through these times. Everyone wants to be glorified. Fame feels accessible to everybody. And they're presenting this life that doesn't really exist."

"All these insecurities and everything that young people go through as they're developing? I just try to give them perspective every chance I get to talk them through it. I don't mind being a helicopter parent, as annoying as that is," the Melissa & Joey alum added of Charleston, 17, and Liberty, 13, whom he shares with ex-wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson. (He also has 11-month-old daughter Dylan with current wife Samantha Cope.)

Lawrence said he tries to "be really consistent" and "beat that consistent drum" in hopes of his advice being absorbed by his kids.

One thing the Blossom star takes extremely seriously is drug use, as he sees countless "horror stories" every day about fatal overdoses.

"These kids are buying their weed over Snapchat and it can be laced with fentanyl. There's really crazy stuff going on," he shared. "I tell my teenage daughter, she's going to all these senior parties and is getting ready to go to college, I tell her you can't [take anything]. I don't care if they say it's from a dealer, you just can't do it because they're lacing things with fentanyl on purpose — you eat a gummy bear and then you're dead."

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The actor acknowledged there are some things in life the youth have to tackle on their own — but when he can help, he will.

"You don't want them to live in a fishbowl because they're eventually going to be exposed to this, and if they don't know about [the bad stuff] or aren't savvy about it, they could be subject to being victims," he said. "So there is a balance. It's really the Wild West out there. I feel like we're parenting in this very brackish period which has created a lot of tumult, in my personal opinion."

People spoke to Lawrence about parenting.