Communication

Many teenagers today are excellent multi-taskers. They listen to music, do homework, and text all at once.

Picture a teenager nestled comfortably on the family couch. The parents have settled in to watch their nightly shows while he does his homework. The teenager has their personal laptop with social networking sites up and their cell phone going off all the time. This young person’s brain is on overload, trying to process the television, parents, homework, text messages, and computer all at once, and as a result, his homework (and thus his education) will likely suffer.

The Multi-tasking Teen

Many researchers believe that multi-tasking is not actually the performance of multiple tasks simultaneously, but rather the illusion that multiple tasks are taking place at the same time. The brain appears to be switching rapidly back and forth from one task to another, and as a result every task is being done at a slower pace than if each task was completed separately. The perceived speed of the tasks comes from jamming so many into one space of time.

Teenagers find this thrilling. The ability to hold several conversations while doing homework, listening to music, and baking cookies is remarkable. Their parents say they do not understand how their children do so many things at once, and the parents claim that they cannot accomplish the same tasks. This appeals to the teen’s competitive nature. Teenagers begin to believe that multi-tasking makes them special, important and productive. Sadly, multi-tasking could be harming their ability to appropriately develop through the teen years.

The Multi-Tasking Brain

The brain does not mature until after twenty-one years of age. Thus, teenagers who multi-task are technically doing so with an under-developed brain. The act of multi-tasking distributes actions throughout the brain and decreases their caliber. A comparable scenario would be if too many light bulbs connected to the same limited electrical supply. All of the bulbs will light up, but they will appear dimmer than if only one or two were receiving all the electricity.  Similarly, a teen may complete all of the tasks, but they will do so far less efficiently and probably less aptly than if they’d concentrated on one at a time.

Another drawback occurs after the fact. Recovering information received during a multi-tasking session will be more difficult than recovering information learned while intensely focusing on one particular subject. The young person mentioned at the beginning of this article, for example, will probably not remember his homework or his conversation with his parents very clearly because they happened at the same time with so many other interruptions.

In general, multi-tasking as a whole is probably not detrimental, but multi-tasking during something important (homework, driving, etc.) is definitely not advisable. A teenager of the 21st century is drawn to the fast-paced appeal of multi-tasking, so it may help for parents to set some guidelines.  Restrict teens’ access to social networking sites, especially during homework time, and ask them to turn their cell phone off or leave it in another room.  Your teen could perform better in school as a result.

Facebook is a great way to connect with friends, both old and new, and to see what is happening in the lives of others. You can stay in touch with distant relatives, old friends, and former classmates. However, despite Facebook’s benefits, it’s all too easy to fall into the traps of this social networking site.

Facebook is a place for everyone, especially young people, to express their individuality and uniqueness in a safe environment. It is important, though, for every user to represent themselves authentically. Teenagers, and all users, should say and act as they would in real life.

It is easy to get wrapped up in the anonymity and distance of the Internet. A simple rule to follow is to not post anything that you would not want your parents to see. As a teen on Facebook, be sure to only accept friend requests of people you know.

It’s also important that you never share your password with anyone. It may not seem like it, but friends come and go when you’re a teenager, and the people you trusted with your password yesterday could make it their mission to ruin your online reputation tomorrow. It’s therefore best to keep your private information… well, private.

Below are some more tips for keeping social networking a positive experience.

It’s okay to block bullies.

Bullies are everywhere online, and sometimes it can seem impossible to escape their negative attitudes. But instead of giving in to their demeaning presence, simply use Facebook’s handy features to report and/or block them. You can report behavior that violates Facebook’s terms of use completely confidentially, meaning no one will ever find out that it was you who reported the bully.

Finally, always tell an adult you trust about the messages, as well, because if the person continues to bully you, you may need this adult to step in.

Don’t let anonymity change you.

The internet has a strange way of changing people’s personalities. People that are normally kind and respectful can change into ruthless and arrogant posters as soon as they sit behind a computer. This is mostly because the internet creates a distance between people, making the impact of bullying less immediately obvious. However, it’s important to resist the urge to bully others while hiding behind your computer.

When posting, ask yourself first if the post will hurt someone or if it could eventually come back to haunt you. Your friends, classmates, and teachers may hear about it later, so be sure you feel confident in your post. Anything you post can be copied or shared with others, so avoid having to apologize to others by taking the time to think before you post.

Make time for real life, too.

Although it sounds silly, recent research has revealed that many Americans are addicted to Facebook. The social networking site helps people procrastinate on an assignments, chores, and homework, and excess Facebook use can also lead to depression, stress, and anxiety.

A recent study from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that the more time an adolescent spends on social media, the more likely they are to develop symptoms of depression. Since Facebook gives a skewed view of the way things are, teens who rely on the site to give them their view of the world will come away with a very warped impression of the way the world works.

Facebook can also become a huge waste of time, which can prevent teens from developing hobbies. Also, if you spend all of your time online, how will you ever make friends in real life? Avoid letting Facebook take over your life, and limit the amount of time you spend on the site.

Surviving the teenage years can be extremely difficult, and if things have gotten out of control, there’s no shame in admitting that you need the help of an expert. The qualified staff at a Christian boarding school is an excellent resource for helping you and your family through the trying teenage years. Specializing in treating troubled and at-risk teens, these schools approach education with a balance of discipline and love, and their methods have helped countless teens transform into intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually healthy young adults.