Children and Technology

It's hard not to notice that on a daily basis you see children with electronic devices. Tablets, smartphones, laptops, etc. is all evident by children carrying, watching, looking and playing, it would be a safe assumption to say that some children have better technological skills than some adults. Which brings us to this question, is that good? It seems gone are the days where kids played a simple game outside, now it is all about Flappy Bird, Candy Crush and whatever the next cutely titled game will be. Are children losing their imagination or expanding it? Ruining social skills or improving them? And, what does the world of technology do for the education of kids? Let's discuss.

Technology is everywhere and kids take notice of this. Look at a few commercials on popular children's television stations such as Nickelodeon or Disney, chances are you will see plenty of opportunities for your child to get online encouraged by the networks young stars or advertisements for the latest technological fad. The question is should this behavior be encouraged? In my opinion, yes...but in moderation. The world changes and you have to be ready to change with it or you will be left behind. In today's world, technology is everything. In my last few blog posts I have discussed everything from viral videos to marketing social media, and the world shows no signs of slowing down on increasing technology. A point I do want to make before we continue, yes I absolutely support children learning and using about technology but no I do not think this should be a main focus in their life and I believe children should always have outside factors such as real friends, outdoor exercise, social skills ,etc. not just sitting on a computer day in and day out.

The pros of technology can be limitless, there are ways to help educate your child through the use of games which what every parent and teacher want to "make learning fun". There are also ways of downloading books by way of the Nook and tablets such as an I-Pad, what better way to spend time in a crowded restaurant or restless trips to the grocery store than allowing your child to ready classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird or Charlotte's Web and even more recent classics such as the Harry Potter series? You can even get your child started learning about  digital art programs such as popular programs including Photoshop and InDesign. Reading, writing, and art can be some of the most creative outlets for children and they can be available to them at the touch of their fingers.

Education can also thrive under technology, especially for the younger set. Pages literally come alive on tablets with bright colors and graphics and even ways for you to change the size of the words so you are able to see every word clearly. Instead of lugging around all your books you now have a easy tablet that stores hundreds of books, games, writings, and art. Many schools have started adapting to the use of tablets and some schools even use this as their main form of teaching and require the use of tablets and technology. Another interesting aspect is to look at tablet use for the children who may have a disability such as autism or a learning disability such as dyslexia. Tablets can open up another world for these children and there has been significant research that says that I-Pads can help from everything to from social situation to learning to speak to others. It will be amazing to see what other forms of help and improvement these forms of technology will bring in the coming years.

(source: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/11/19/ipads-autism-speak/18904/)

As with most things, there do have to be some cons to the use of technology with children. As with everyone who used online portals such as message boards, social media, and videos to name a few, you must be careful. Children, much like an older generation, can be extremely naïve and trusting which is sometimes not the best combination when dealing with the Internet. It's crucial you talk to your children just as you would talk to them about strangers in the real world, not everyone online is a friend. Especially important for pre-teens and teens, the use of social media is fun and a great way to stay connected but can also be dangerous and for some kids a prime area for bullying. The news is often filled with troubling stories of children some as young as 10 or 11 that have been bullied through means of online connections by way of social media. If you find out your child is being bullied online then its important to get involved perhaps even more important if it is your child who is doing the bullying, you must intervene. Children are very aware and take things very seriously, bullying can seriously mess with one's emotions and it is not something to play around with. Also, important make sure you know who your child is talking to online. Now this may become more difficult to check into as your child gets older but always try to stay aware and ask questions if your child makes friends online. Most of the time they are probably harmless but there have been enough true stories to fill To Catch a Predator. Especially in today's time where just a few short years ago the popular term "Catfishing" got it's name. Sometimes you really have no idea who you are talking to, children (and adults!) need to always make sure they are making smart choices when dealing with anything online, always exercise caution and do your homework so you and/or children aren't taken advantage of.

Others worry that perhaps too much technology can hinder children's social skills, maybe they can't handle real conversations in real life without the use of technology. I could see how this could be a problem as well as the issues that arises about health, children are notorious now for staggering type 2 diabetes statistics and obesity issues, many which claim the Internet and television are mostly to blame. Make sure your kids are seeing real friends, go to the zoo, go for a hike, even go get ice cream with your child and their friends for a social outing. Make sure there is a good balance of everything if your child's life, you want them to be well-rounded, they know how to use technology but they can also hold a conversation that isn't over Twitter. Everything works well in moderation and technology is no exception, it will be very exciting to see what new technology develops for children in the years to come!

 What do you think about kids using technology? Good or bad idea? What's the youngest child you've ever seen using a smartphone or tablet? Any good stories about kids and technology? Post your thought below and thanks for reading!

LT