The Impact of Technology on Society | Chapter II - Is technology harmful for kids?
Is technology harmful for kids? Every time I ask this question to my friends and family, the answer is usually "yes, no doubt". But where does this conviction come from? Is this really the case? Today I would like to talk a little about this since I consider this subject very important. After all, children are our future and it is our responsibility to guide them in the best way possible.
I confess that I have no children, so I cannot give an opinion on this as a father. However, I think that the consequences of the use of technology by children, whether positive or negative, partly reflect the type of education that parents give their children regarding technology. What is certain is that this digital scenario is very recent, and it is possible that many parents still do not know how to deal very well with this new reality.
A negative approach
The other day, I was on the subway when I noticed a toddler who was around 4 or 5 years old sitting in his pushchair playing on a smartphone. I found the situation quite peculiar since it was very evident that his mother did not want to be "bothered" with her child, so she gave him the smartphone just to be entertained. I do not believe a child of that age should be exposed to technology, at all. I think these are crucial ages for children since at this point they should be discovering the world through their eyes and learning from their experience, and the act of playing on a smartphone will make this process more difficult. This is an example of a stance adopted by some parents that may lead to negative consequences, regarding children and technology. But what would happen if parents were careful to guide their children through this digital world?
A positive approach
What if parents controlled the content and time their children spend in front of technological devices? What if parents would only allow their children to use technology with a focus on education? After all, technology can be a great learning tool for children, and there are more and more software and hardware directed to this end. I think this approach can have a very big impact on kid’s growth.
The following video illustrates very well how technology can be used in education. Together with her 8-year-old daughter, a youtuber decided to try a very interesting technological tool, which aims to teach youngsters how to program in a fun way and with immediate results. I find this approach very interesting because one of the great advantages of learning to program is the development of reasoning and critical thinking.
So is technology harmful for children?
Truthfully, technology can have negative or positive consequences on children, it depends a lot on the approach. We must not forget that technology is only a tool, so the results of its use are the responsibility of the user. For example, an ax can either cut wood or decapitate people. But wouldn’t be ridiculous to blame an axe for having beheaded that person? It is a fact that technology is a tool that allows you to do much more than an axe, however, the principle remains the same. So by answering the question, technology can both be harmful to children as it may not be, it depends on how they experience it.
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Thank you for reading so far!
This post ended up focusing a lot on the importance of parents in educating their children about technology, and I know that this is not the only variable that can impact a child in a negative way. The environment experienced by kids in school and in other social environments can also influence them in a certain way, and the reality is that there are more and more children with access to technology earlier than ever. These aspects cannot be controlled by the parents at 100%, but I believe that if kids are well educated at home, in the future they will be less likely to have negative repercussions caused by technology.
What about you? What is your opinion about this topic?
I would love to get feedback from parents on this subject so that we could find out if this is the best approach to guide the future of humanity.
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Shaden
Congrats for the great post!
I also have the opinion that technology, and every other branch of science, should be viewed only as a tool. It's our responsibility to use it to overcome our limitations and boost out development instead of letting it rule our lives.
In this particular setting, I believe that parents and teachers together should really reflect in this matters and give children proper guidance.
I agree completely! It's true that teachers and parents are the most important variables on children's education, so they should work together and inform themselves to guide kids through this new technological reality.
Thank you very much for your feedback!
I'm no expert either. like you I have no kids of my own but technology is a vague term. To simplify things most technology are tools. And like all tools, including guns, electronic devices, etc. When used properly in moderation they can potentially yield tremendous and positive effects.. likewise I believe the opposite is true as well.
Myself personally, I was among the last generations of children who grew up playing outside. I was excited about the first handheld screen. Using the internet as a tool , an instrument for learning has kept me sharp over the years. If you make learning fun and cool they will benefit. If it's all colors and games then they'll likely get nothing much. It is really up to the parents more than the child
Indeed, at these kid's age, they are not capable to make their own decisions and being aware of consequences, so it's up to the people who would guide them.
I can identify myself a lot with what you said about "the last generations of children who grew up playing outside". I remember playing with dirt, playing football with my friend in the middle of the road and helping to build a cabin. These times were great and I've learned a lot with it, and maybe this was the reason why I ended up viewing technology the way I see it nowadays.
I hope these new generations can experience the "physical" world as we did when we were younger.
Thanks for dropping by and for your great feedback!