The Consequences Of Children’s Obsession With Technology
Screen time does not only mean spending time in front of the television, it also means spending time on smartphones, computers, and other glowing electronic devices. Kids are spending more and more time in front of these devices and they are mostly accessing social media and playing videos and not using this opportunity to learn new things or gain more knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to make parents realize the numerous consequences involved with children being obsessive with screens. For a long time, humans have preferred the method for social learning and communication to be face-to-face. But, in recent years, the extensive amount of time that children engage with these devices are taking time away from face to face communication. “The study, published in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour, found that children who went five days without exposure to technology were significantly better at reading human emotions than kids who had regular access to phones, television and computers”.
“Perhaps in an ideal world, where mothers and fathers have unlimited time to spend with their perpetually happy infants, it would never cross a parent’s minds to use a baby video to catch a break. But in the real world, videos do become babysitters. The answer is moderation. If you are going to pop in a baby video, make sure that your child gets plenty of quality time with you, too”. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) once claimed that children younger than 2 years of age should not have any screen time al all. “Pediatricians should urge parents to avoid television viewing for children under the age of 2 years,” the recommendation said. But this claim had no proof to back it up, the only question they asked was if we actually wanted youngsters in front of the television? So, the answer for all of this is moderation. Too much of television is harmful but keeping it check helps both parents and their babies. The preteens and young teens face dangers on social media that includes risks like identity theft, personal safety, access to disturbing and inappropriate content, and an increase in mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety etc. These kids also become targets of cyberbullying or become a cyberbully. Technology is almost everywhere and it is changing continuously. It will always a part of our lives and grow even more. So, instead of demonizing technology and screen time, we need to understand the benefits of it and how to utilize the most of it without harming ourselves and the children.
Effects of Social Media and Digital Technology
In 2012, only 41% of teens had smartphone compared to 89% of teens in 2018 in United States. 57% of all teens agree that using social media often distracts them when they should be doing homework. 54% of teen social media users agree that it often distracts them when they should be paying attention to the people, they’re with, compared to 44% in 2012. 29% of teen smartphone owners say they’ve been woken up by their phones during the night by a call, text, or notification. 42% of teens agree that social media has taken away from time they could spend with friends in person, compared to 34% in 2012. The value of face to face communication is decreasing day by day. In 2012, 49% teens preferred in-person communication but in 2018, it decreased to 32%. The teens from the survey also said that if parents knew what actually happens on social media, 54% of teens said they’d be a lot more worried about it.
Risk of Social Media Sites
One of the biggest side effects of social media is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a form of harassment or bullying using digital communication tools. Children and teenagers who experience cyberbullying can end up being bullied at school. Cyberbullying often leaves teenagers with lowered self-esteem, less interest in school and low academic achievement. Children and teenagers might feel confused by changes in their friendship’s groups. They might also feel alone, lonely and isolated. Cyberbullying can lead to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, stress and, in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts. Some victims of cyberbullying feel they have no safe place.
Children who are cyberbullied are most likely going to experience some mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, feeling of loneliness, change in sleep cycles and/or lose interest in other physical activities. They might feel disconnected from the world and also suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming themselves. There was a steady increase in the number of cyberbullying studies published during the 3-year review period: 1 each in 2013 and 2014 (4.5%, respectively), 7 in 2014 (31.8%), and 11 in 2015 (50%).
Benefits
Apart from all the risks and negative effects of social media, there are some possible benefits in social media and/or digital screens. Children can enhance their personal growth and have access to unlimited knowledge that they can grasp. Also, social media has created a community or a space for humans who are more isolated and it has also given a platform for more discarded communities like LGBTQIA+. Children are becoming more open-minded and welcoming through time and technology.
Children can also increase their bonds with family members and protect their physical safety by using their smartphones wisely. There are also benefits for children reaching outside their inner circles to make new friends, possibly from more diverse backgrounds. By identifying with likeminded individuals, children can participate in group discussions and collaborations for projects and thus enhance their feelings of self-worth (Dyer, 2018).
What A Parent Should Do
Most parents are always concerned about how much time and on what they are spending their time. There are few ways that parents can get involved and keep a check on their children.
Firstly, parents can ask their child to hand over the phone at certain points of time so that it does not become a distraction for the child especially during homework or family time. Secondly, a parent can obtain the child’s login information or password to keep a check on the content the child is viewing or using. Thirdly, a parent should have a conversation with their child regarding cyberbullying and the acceptable and unacceptable behaviour online. Also, the parent should take their child’s phone away at least two hours before bedtime to ensure a proper good night sleep.
There’s a happy medium in here somewhere. The key to helping teens learn to balance social media with real life friendships is to keep the lines of communication open and keep talking. Honest communication shows your teen that you are there to support, not to judge or lecture. It’s also important to walk the walk. Disconnect on weekends and show your teen that there is a whole world out there that doesn’t require a handheld screen. She may miss her phone a lot less than she thinks she will and this is a very good lesson to learn.
Conclusion
The mobile technology in this century has enabled today’s youth to access anything and everything 24/7 anywhere. Children get influenced and attached to these devices from day 1. Children are vey easy to mould at a very young age and such devices and such devices can change these little ones’ mind in very different ways. A device is just a tool that we use for our benefits. But a child does not know the difference between right and wrong and also what is right and wrong for them. Technology can be beneficial or destructive. The parents should be aware of what their child accesses on their device or the internet.
With excess use of devices and social media comes a good deal of side effects. Children overusing or misusing such devices and platforms can lead to multiple mental health disorders. Children might become a victim of cyberbullying or become a cyberbully if not supervised correctly. Keeping risks aside, social media platforms or digital technology can also provide a child with tons of benefits. It lets you connect with other peers, and family; also, a child can gain tremendous amount of knowledge through technology. The answer to a better and efficient way to use this tool is moderation. Parents should always keep a check on what their children are surfing on the internet or if their children are misusing a tool in a way that could harm them in the long run.
