Why I wanted to explore my own and societies bad habits with technology actually stems from me being an Uncle to my sister's 4 young kids. I see how this new generation is being raised with iPad’s always within reach and I constantly harp on my sister for how much she lets her kids use her phone and how they basically control her. My oldest niece is turning 9 this summer and already has an iPhone and Instagram which absolutely blows my mind. They can’t control my youngest niece without having to give up a phone for her to watch Peppa Pig. It drives me insane. The video below is the reaction I got over Christmas break when I was trying to set up a game of monopoly with my sisters kids. I think it sums it up nicely. So for this blog, I'll focus on some of the negative effects technology can have on a child's development and then I'll explore some possible solutions.
Kids and Tech
Technology can provide many positive benefits, but it can have several negative effects on child development. One of the most notable changes technology has made on children is the way that they play and interact with each other. Unlike previous generations whose only option would be to go outside to play, children now have the option to spend entire days inside with things like video games.
Kids and Tech
Technology can provide many positive benefits, but it can have several negative effects on child development. One of the most notable changes technology has made on children is the way that they play and interact with each other. Unlike previous generations whose only option would be to go outside to play, children now have the option to spend entire days inside with things like video games.
Children today do not get as much exercise as they used to and child obesity rates have risen. In 2012, the child obesity rate was measured at 18%, and 11% increase from the obesity rate in 1980. There are health benefits to kids playing outside like gaining vitamin D from sunlight, versus recent research that screens from tablets and smartphones emit harmful blue light that can cause headaches, eye strain, and irritated eyes. These blue lights can also disturb sleep cycles by suppressing the melatonin hormone.
Of course, there are two sides to this type of argument for helping kids develop. There is so much good that technology can do as well and it can help children learn.
- Video games encourage children to solve problems by forming hypotheses.
- Complex TV show story lines encourage kids to follow more than one narrative at a time and understand how different sub plots connect to form a bigger picture.
- Tech helps educate children in ways that are best suited for their personal learning styles.
Personally, I love technology. It's why I wanted to be an MIS major and it just makes my life so much easier. I want to watch my nieces and nephews develop in a healthy manner, so being a good and loving Uncle, here are some tips I plan to give my sister.
Set daily limits for how long the kids can use technology each day:
Come up with something reasonable, let them have an hour or two once they get home from school then kick them to the backyard to play some tag. No phones during family meals, EVER. Also avoid screen time and those negative blue lights before bedtime.
More Sports:
My sisters 3 oldest kids all each play 1 sport at the moment. Those are rookie numbers. I want to see Hockey, Basketball, Football, Soccer, Baseball, and Lacrosse uniforms scattered all over the place. That'll increase the chance that one of them can go professional in something and I can be an Uncle/Agent. More importantly, having them involved in all these different sports communities will increase interactions with their peers and help to develop longer lasting relationships and values.
Use Technology in a Constructive Manner:
When my 8 year old niece got an iPhone I voiced my concern with my sister that it was way too soon for something like this. To give myself some credit here, I like to think I've helped turn it into a positive situation though. Before, I had to go through my sister or brother-in-law to talk to the kids but with my niece having a phone we've completely cut out the middle man. I Facetime and Snapchat with my niece all the time to see how shes doing and how things like school and cheer are going. She had a class presentation on JK Rowling that she was able to practice on with me through FaceTime leading up to it. That is the type of constructive manner that Technology can provide a huge benefit with.
Lead by example:
In front of the kids, limit the amount of time you spend on your phone (and Instagram.) If they see their parents on their devices constantly then they will assume that that's ok to do. Save things like Netflix binge sessions until they are asleep.
Questions
1. How old were you when you got your first cell phone?
2. Do you believe the pros outweigh the cons with technology helping kids develop?
Links
https://www.lvhn.org/wellness_resources/wellness_articles/technology_and_your_health/how_technology_can_help_children_learn
https://medium.com/thrive-global/will-technology-ruin-your-childrens-development-663351c76974
https://www.addiction.com/addiction-a-to-z/technology-addiction/
I remember getting my first cell phone when I was in 6th grade. While I was older than 8, it was pretty young for the time being. I walked to and from school, as we lived very close, so my parents thought it was good for me to have a phone in case of emergencies.
ReplyDeleteI personally do think the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to children using technology to develop, as long as it is in moderation. I think there are so many apps out there now that help children read, study, and just develop in general but I think it definitely can get taken advantage of. I hate when I go to a restaurant and see kids glued to their iPad with headphones in watching YouTube throughout the entire meal. I'm sure parents use this to help keep them distracted instead of going crazy in the restaurant, but I also think that children's brains need more stimulation than a screen to develop correctly at such a young age.
1. I got my first cell phone when I was in 6th grade, because I started riding the bus and my parents needed to be able to contact me.
ReplyDelete2. In many ways, technology does make things a lot easier. Take turnitin for example. It's a software teachers can use for students to submit their work, where they can add comments directly to their papers and it also checks for plagiarism. However, when it comes to kids and them being so malleable, parents should really be careful about how much freedom they give them with technology. I've seen my little cousins do some questionable things on their tablets, that their mom probably doesn't even know about, but she just lets them do whatever because it gives her some alone time.
I got my first cell phone when I was 15. It was not a smart phone.
ReplyDeleteI think technology has helped kids learn faster and gain more knowledge. using a encyclopedia can be time consuming and would allow less work to get done. I think people feel nostalgic when talking about the old ways things were done. that doesn't mean they were the best ways to do things.
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ReplyDeleteVery interesting article. I believe that - as it is often with things in life - finding a balance between the amount of technology we use and let our kids use would be the optimal solution. As you mentioned, it's clear that certain technologies have great benefits (e.g.: educational games); however, I am not sure that these benefits outweigh the costs such as eye damage and less time for kids to learn social skills.
ReplyDeleteEDIT: I forgot to answer the first question, so here it is:
On my part, I got my first phone at the age of 7 when I went to a summer camp abroad and my parents wanted me to have some means of staying in touch. Later, I got my first smartphone, a HTC Touch Cruiser, in 2007 - which is what started my own phone addiction.
Anthony, great read. I got my first cell phone when I was in 7th grade, it was garbage compared to what we have now and I remember it had the game "snake" on it and I would always play that.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those who although I think technology plays a big role in mine and many others lives I think it takes away from the nature of being a human being and going through the struggle with life and nature.
I have a new niece who is almost one and her mom my step-sister was telling me that she is in a forum with all the new moms that basically is therapy and guidance for how to raise their kids. One of the moms posted and the problem she had was that when she "grounded" her son and took away his phone and gaming system that none of the other kids on the block wanted to play basketball or any activities outside. Pretty crazy concept and it relates to the first video you posted with those two young boys. This shit is true and if no one does anything about it kids are going to become so use to having tech with them that they will become technology themselves. I'm talking futuristic humanoids with chips and shit planted inside of them, I'm talking siri answering thoughts that pop into your head. Might make their lives better but going back to your original question, will they think the pros outweigh the cons? This is also by far the longest response I've posted because it's a great topic.