- Parents are one of the most influential parents in the use that an adolescent gives to mobiles, tablets and screens. That is, although the distance to parents is at their age, the study concludes that parents are still an example in the relationship they are going to develop with screens.
It is clear that the concern of many parents about the time and use that children and young people make of their mobile phone (and in general screen) is a source of concern. More and more is being said about the damage that mobiles can cause to children and young people and the influence that social networks, pornography and other content have on them. However, in addition to focusing on them, the first step is to analyze the use we make adults, as adolescents learn what to see, a study has confirmed. With 10,000 Americans between the ages of 12 and 13, the study notes that their children's on-screen activity largely depends on their parents' use.
If standards are set in the use of screens at home, such as not using phones during meals, Jason M says parents must comply with them themselves. The authors of the research Nagata, in El País. That is, the criteria and limits for the healthy use of screens should not be just for children, but for everyone in the house.
"Having children connected to the Internet at one in the morning because their parents don't know or are unable to set limits is a problem."
The research also points to other factors that influence the use that young people aged 12-13 years make and will make of their mobile, video games, social networks… For example, the use of devices at night during food or in the room is related to more problematic uses. “What we are failing the most in the imposition of borders – says expert María Zabala – is that boys and girls have Internet connection at one in the morning because their parents do not know or are not able to set limits, it is a problem; it is essential to understand that at night we have to disconnect and rest, that we have to shut down the devices, both the time before the bed and the time of the meal, etc.”
Another error highlighted in the study is the use of screens as a reward or punishment, as this type of strategy provokes greater and worse use, as the adolescent will do it clandestine. According to the expert, the path is to normalize technology, setting limits and accompanying it, as is done in other areas of education.
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