When we were in our growing age, we used to play, run, cycling, and fighting with each other in the park. We were the masters of imaginary games and today, children are the masters of smart phones, laptops, videogames, and tablets. This generation often spends their time on digital devices and the time they give to sports is quite different from earlier time.
Earlier, we need to take the permission of our parents to use such devices but today’s families are different and technology is continuously developing. We can see that children have their own laptops and digital devices on which they play games. This is restricting them to go out and lack of physical work is affecting their physical ability to do a particular work.
Effects of modern technology and media on the growth of kids
Today, it is often assumed that technology only brings great things and benefits but it is also affecting the growth of young generation. As the technology is growing up this is affecting the life and growth of children in three main ways, which include lack of patience, limited physical activity and declining writing skills. Even though lack of patience may not always be at the front, studies show that tolerance in children is vanishing at a high rate.
The technology cause intense frustration in children and we can observe this in our day-to-day life. We can see that children are so used to instant results and they can become overwhelmed when made to wait for some time or a game to download that has a slow internet connection.
Additionally, we use technology for almost everything, which can have negative effects on our children. Some of the negative effects on health and development are unseen and the first of many issues is obesity, which is growing as childhood obesity. The reason behind this is that children no longer go out and entertain themselves with physical activities, such as riding bicycles, playing outdoors with friends and participating in sports. They are now getting habitual of more sitting lives, which involve watching television, playing games on digital systems, and socializing on the internet.
Apart from this, technology is also causing physical and psychological problems in children. In order to reduce the risk of these problems it is important that children should take breaks every 20 to 30 minutes.
The break will not only rest their eyes, wrists and hands, and will also increase the circulation and will relieve tension. Children need to spend more time in nature in order to stay healthy. This may benefit them in several ways this include breathing in fresh air, natural sunlight helps to gain Vitamin D, running around and playing will reduce the chances of obesity, and help them to stay physically and mentally healthy.
Tips for parents
- Parents should not allow their kids to watch and play on digital systems more than one or two hours.
- It is the duty of parents to be good role model for their kids as children do what they feel and see at home. If you spend lot of time on digital devices then kids will follow the same.
- Apart from all disadvantages, digital devices can do some pretty things for you, as it is one of the great sources of knowledge.
- As a parent, you should know about your child’s friends and their parents and do not allow them to go anywhere alone before you know everything about their trip and tours.
Summary
Modern technologies and media have given us many things but along with this it has many disadvantages. It is the duty of the parents to have a check on your children and teach them an actual use of technology and media.
