What’s it like to be a child in Colombia today?

Drawn from our latest studies on kids, here are some new insights on Colombian kids aged 6 to 11:

They’re optimistic, confident, curious and creative. Not only do more than 9 out of 10 Colombian kids use these adjectives to describe themselves, they’re more likely than their global peers to choose them – optimistic (+10%), confident (+8%), curious about the world (+7%) and creative (+6%).

They have ambition and feel equipped to face life’s challenges. Among Colombian kids, 91% believe they can accomplish anything if they work hard enough (87% globally).  Nine out of 10 (90%) say it’s better to try things and risk making mistakes than never try at all (85% globally). And 82% feel that they’re able to deal with whatever life throws at them – significantly above the global average of 68%.

Their independence and entrepreneurial spirit may come from their parents’ encouragement. Kids in Colombia are more likely than their global peers to think of themselves as independent (81% Colombia, 76% globally) and to say they’d like to start their own business someday (80% Colombia, 62% globally). Their parents are also more likely to believe that in general, parents should always give their kids as much independence as possible (88% Colombia, 74% globally).

They’re much more likely to have their own devices. A majority have their own tablet (57% Colombia, 37% globally), while close to half own a smartphone (48% Colombia, 37% globally). They’re also more likely to have at least 10 devices in their household (52% Colombia, 48% globally).

To cope with pressure, they turn to online games and TV. When they want to relieve stress, Colombian kids are much more likely to play games on a phone or tablet (51% Colombia, 37% globally) or to watch TV (50% Colombia, 42% globally).

The internet has expanded their worldview, but they’re less likely than kids elsewhere to see it as a necessity. Colombian kids love technology (85%) and are much more likely than their global peers to believe the internet has introduced them to things they would not have discovered otherwise (87% Colombia, 76% globally). However, just 39% agree that being connected to the internet is as much a part of everyday life as eating and sleeping (60% globally). Among kids 9 to 11, 54% in Colombia feel that having access to the internet is a basic human right (69% globally).

They’re also less likely to see social media as a strong reflection of their lives. Among kids aged 9 to 11 in Colombia, 30% say they love to share all their experiences on social media – below the global average of 38%. They’re significantly less likely to believe that having a lot of connections on social media makes them look good (16% Colombia, 37% globally).

Some are concerned about the negative effects of social media. While kids aged 9 to 11 in Colombia are much less likely than their global peers to feel they spend too much time on social media (19% Colombia, 34% globally), many wish they could take a break from it (38% Colombia, 34% globally). Close to half worry about pictures or stories posted on social media causing problems for them in the future (45% Colombia, 43% globally).