For some parents, social media sucks up their children’s time and steals them away from family life, instilling mental health issues along the way. For others, it provides their children with an essential line to friends, family, connection and support.

When Australia’s social media ban came into effect on Wednesday, millions of under-16s lost access to their accounts and were prevented from creating new ones.

Guardian Australia has spent the past year reporting on the ban, how it will be implemented and potential unintended consequences. But we wanted to know how it is affecting parents, children and families now it has come into effect. Is it a force for good or a terrible policy mistake?

So we asked Guardian readers to tell us, and more than 100 of you replied. Here, 20 people share how the ban has affected them, their children and their families.