The life of a modern person can no longer be imagined without such things as a tablet, phone, computer. Children, watching the lives of adults, begin to be interested in gadgets from the cradle: since mom and dad pay so much attention to these things, it means that they are really interesting. The attitude of parents to the introduction of gadgets in the child’s life is ambiguous: some actively use them, while others persistently try to protect the child from modern trends.
Do not rush to extremes, because the truth, as usual, is somewhere in between. A child is born and grows in the modern world, and modern life makes quite high demands on a person. Already in elementary school, a child will need computer knowledge, so it’s not very prudent to prevent a child from getting to know different electronic devices. The uncontrolled use of gadgets by the child also does not lead to good, so gadgets should be in the lives of children, but dosed and under parental control. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of using gadgets.
Pros of Using Gadgets
- A way to temporarily occupy a child in "field" conditions. Children are quite difficult to endure long waiting in lines, a long road, and traffic jams. Toys, books, felt-tip pens and an album can not always be at hand, but adults do not part with gadgets, and here they will be very useful. A smartphone or tablet with cartoons, games or interesting applications will help brighten up a child’s painful minutes and hours.
- The development of cognitive processes and the acquisition of new knowledge. Some computer games and applications really contribute to the development of attention, memory, logical thinking, learn to read, count, draw. There are also educational cartoons that allow the child to gain new knowledge about the world around him. The catch is that there are not so many high-quality educational games and cartoons, most only claim a developmental effect.
Toddlers aged 2-3 years (it is at this time that children begin to be interested in new modern devices) can be installed on a laptop or tablet developmental games that are appropriate for age. The main thing is that parents control the time spent by the child with the gadget. Children under 3 years of age should be engaged in devices for no more than an hour a day, every 20 minutes you need to take a break in order to rest your eyes. An older child can increase the time of "communication" with gadgets, but it is also necessary to take breaks after 20-30 minutes of classes or games.
Cons of Using Gadgets
- "One-sided" developmental effect. Since we are talking about the fact that gadgets contribute to the development of the child, it is worth mentioning the reverse side of the coin.For a young child, whose imaginative thinking is still being formed, the developmental effect of cartoons and programs tends to zero. When a child actively masters the world of objects, it is important that all perception channels are activated. To understand that the cube is square and the ball is round, it is not enough for him to see the image - you must definitely touch, feel the cube’s edges and edges, the roundness of the ball. As a result, the developmental video gives a one-sided effect: formally, the child remembers something, but actually does not master the information deeply and efficiently.
- Negative effects on health and physical development. First of all, we are talking about visual impairment. If the baby is regularly larger 20 minutes a day looking at a computer monitor or the screen of a phone or tablet, after six months his visual acuity begins to decline. The second aspect of the negative impact on health is related to the fact that children who spend a lot of time playing games and cartoons move much less, and this systematically affects the state of the whole organism. Children at a computer / tablet / laptop often sit stooping, and this provokes a curvature of the spine and problems with posture in the future. READ DETAILS: The effect of the tablet on the child: 10 reasons to say “NO”!
- Decrease in creative activity. No games and applications will ever replace spontaneous creativity, working with real materials and vibrant color. In real life, a child fantasizes. He glues, sculpts, cuts, paints, combines, finds the most unexpected solutions. Virtual space deprives him of creativity, because there he can act only within the framework of the options provided by the manufacturer of the program.
- The crowding out of interests, relationships, and attachments into virtual space. This is a very serious consequence, and it arises only with the abuse of gadgets. The child literally falls out of real life: all his interests are focused on the virtual world. In this case, we can talk about the dependence on gadgets.
- Rarely, but it is possible to observe a mental disorder. If a child often plays games where there is a lot of blood and horror.
We also read: How we “lose” our children
Gadget Dependence and How to Avoid It
If gadgets occupy the entire consciousness of the child, we can say that addiction is forming. You can recognize it by the following signs:
- The child ceases to be interested in real life: does not play toys, does not strive to communicate with peers.
- Relationships with parents fade into the background for the child, and instead of sharing activities, he also prefers to spend time with a tablet or computer.
- Attempts to limit time for games and cartoons provokes violent protest and hysteria.
Normal intellectual and personal development in this situation is impossible, because it can only occur in real relationships and in the real world. In order to prevent dependence on gadgets and reduce their negative impact, it is important to use them wisely and adhere to the following rules.
- Do not exceed the permissible time spent at the computer / tablet. For each age, it is different. Perhaps the child will protest, but parents should show firmness. Do not forget that you are an adult, and the responsibility for the life and health of the little creature lies with you.
- Follow age recommendations for games and cartoons. Do not overload the child with information that he will not be able to perceive.
- Do not use gadgets to "get rid" of the child without special need. In some situations, they really are salvation, but if the mother, for example, is going to cook dinner or do household chores, it is better to include the child in this process than to include a cartoon for him.
We also read:
- 10 signs of children's addiction to computer games and the Internet: harm from a computer
- How the internet affects children
By the way, giving children to play gadgets before going to bed is not recommended, since the child can become overexcited and sleep poorly or not fall asleep at all.
Thus, it is important for parents to prevent gadgets from becoming a source of problems for their children. The competent and moderate use of gadgets will really contribute to the development of the child and help him keep pace with the times.
Read on:
- “A bedtime story” or why can’t gadgets replace a child’s book?
- The influence of fairy tales on the development of children;
- The influence of music on children's development;
- The meaning of the game in a child’s life.
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I think this is a big problem for modern children. My son is 10 years old. At first, we somehow missed, and he began to spend a lot of time playing games. but now gradually, have introduced a certain system. I learned lessons - played for 20 minutes, went to the store - played. And nothing else just acts. He has already formed a certain dependence.
I absolutely agree with the article. In our life, you can’t strictly restrict a child from gadgets, but you need to make sure that he does not use them very often. And if parents will allow within reason, then from gadgets there will be only positive consequences.
That's right, you cannot completely deprive children of modern technology. Sooner or later, they will face it, and it is better if they are prepared for this. Therefore, it seems to me that it is better to explain to children how the gadgets are arranged, to teach them how to use and to initially establish the rules for their use. These rules must be strictly observed. This is well helped by modern technology. Children prepared for the “adult” capabilities of a smartphone (of course, metered) are much more successful in adulthood than those who were sitting in special children's cartoon interfaces of sandbox programs. Such programs, of course, are safe and convenient, but their children quickly outgrow them.