A top American Psychiatrist has warned of urged parents to "keep on top" of their children's exposure to social media, as the rise of the 'Sephora Kids' trend sweeps the US.
The social media craze, predominantly seen on video sharing platform TikTok, is the rise of young girls across the US flocking to beauty and skin-care retailer Sephora, to pick up the latest viral products.
In many videos posted on the app, young girls film their visits to the store and show their often expensive "hauls" of the products.
Sephora staff members have also posted their experiences of "Sephora Kids", who are rude to employees and damage store displays in a desperate hunt for the most viral products, plugged by the top beauty influencers.
Dr. Daniel Bober has urged parents to 'keep on top' of their child's exposure to social media
Getty / GB News America
In new research from parental controls company Qustodio, data revealed that British youngsters are leading the TikTok obsession, spending on average 127 minutes a day on the app.
American children, aged between four and 18 came in second place with an average of 120 minutes a day.
Speaking to GB News, American Psychiatrist Dr Daniel Bober warned of the "very damaging" impact of social media on Generation Alpha and urged parents to take more action.
Dr Bober told host Patrick Christys that evolving technologies and surging use of smartphones amongst children has made parenting the devices "more difficult".
Children are flocking to Sephora to pick up the latest viral trending products
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Dr Bober said: "I think parents have to be on top of their kids like they never were before. I think they really have to be on top of the social media.
"It's very difficult, I used to say to parents keep the computer in a room in a common area where you can see what they're doing, but now they go to school, they have smartphones."
Dr Bober advised: "I think the best tact to take if you're a parent is to keep an open line of communication without judgement, without shame, and allow your kids to come to you with anything and check in with them and make sure that you're on top of what they're doing. I think that's the key."
Patrick highlighted the expense of the viral products, including the recent Stanley drinking cup craze, which retails for $45 a piece.
Dr. Bober said parents are the 'last line of defence' in protecting children from social media
GB News America
Patrick suggested stores such as Sephora could implement "regulation" to cap the age on which people can buy products taking over TikTok.
Dr Bober argued that it is not the stores but the parents that are the "last line of defence".
He said: "These stores are probably laughing to the bank because they have a whole new crop of customers to buy their products. But the parents are really the last line of defence.
"And if the parents are giving them the money to purchase these products, then shame on them. There has to be limits. And that's part of the problem I see as a child psychiatrist. Parents aren't setting limits. They don't want to give their kids no for an answer because they don't accept it.
"There's all these outlets for instant gratification and reinforcement, and so it's really the parents that have to be the ones to put the brakes on it."