Teenagers often spend hours with their mobile phones in their hands, especially in social networks. But not all teenagers are the same and each one behaves differently.
A recent research carried out in the United Kingdom reveals that children between 4 and 18 years old currently spend 127 minutes a day on the short video app TikTok.
In a report published by The Sun, Jennifer Brutonfrom the technology company Boressays: “It can disconnect children from reality. The best way to manage it is to educate children about social media.”
This company, which among other things offers advice to families, has developed a classification of children and adolescents’ behavior on social networks, and identifies each category with an animal: owl, turtle, turkey and sheep.
Owl
The owl’ spends hours on the internet before going to bed and you can try staying awake longer to stay on social media. They also tend to look at their cell phones when they are watching television with the family.
If your child is sleepy, irritable, or disconnected during the day, it could be a telltale sign that he or she is an ‘owl.’ The recommendation is setting schedules and establish a place, outside the room, where the adolescent leaves the cell phone overnight. There are also applications that allow you to block social networks during certain hours.
Tortoise
The ‘turtle’ teenager prefers social media to real life and often walks away from company to spend more time on his phone, even going into the bathroom. They are generally shy.
In this case, the advice is essential to ensure that children do not use their phones as an instrument to avoid life and to establish a routine or a reasonable time limit, as well as look for alternative interests.
Peacock
The ‘peacocks’ share on social networksIt’s practically everything they dofrom selfies on public transportation to the place where they live, something that can be dangerous.
It is necessary to talk to the young person about basic security issues, like not publishing your location. It is important to show respect for your child’s desire to share his or her life. But support this by helping them understand why they want to share it and if there is a healthy reason.
You have to convince him to They allow you to follow their account. Use this as a positive, interacting constructively with their social media use, rather than as a method to spy on them.
Sheep
The ‘sheep’ has a set of idols, usually famous, those they admire. They may not post much of their own content, but their decisions could be influenced by others.
This type of user benefits from conversation and reinforcement. Help them understand that their individuality is important. Do this by celebrating and praising the things that make them different.
Also understand why they admire people. Is there a genuine interest or are they idolized by pressure from others?
