Impacts of Technology in Kids Lives

In this context, technology is the application of various scientific knowledge in solving our problems and making life easier. The scope of technology covered here is limited to technologies that were not created with harmful intent. It covers things like computer, ICT, the internet, mobile technologies, software and Hardware. Social media, gaming, virtual reality and more.
The Technology itself have only had positive effects but it's misuse and abuse have had a number of negative impacts on the lives and development of kids. The magnitude of the effect is dependent on exposure to these forms of technology which varies from place to place.
The kids in under developed countries are less exposed to most technologies, resulting in equally minimal effects compared to the kids in developed countries. Our view on the effect of technology on kids may also depend on whether we the parents are a digital citizen, an immigrant or a native in cyberspace. Most importantly, our conclusions is dependent on our ability to distinguish the ills caused by a technology and that caused by it's misuse or abuse.

Positive Effects of Technology

Development in the area of technology has impacted positively the lives of kids and growing adults. Allowing concerned parents to track the whereabouts of their children. Instructors can better monitor their progress and previously boring lessons are being remodel. Just imagine using 3D virtual reality headsets to take kids out on an excursion infusing life into a geography class. The application could be endless and the learning experience, unforgettable. With well planned and supervised use of technology in education kids learn faster and easier.

Enhances Teaching and Learning
Some aspects of technology makes teaching and learning a lot more effective as it helps take the learning experience beyond the walls of the classroom. Allowing both the fast and slow learners to learn at their own pace. With numerous tools designed mainly to enhance learning. A good example is the case of the corona lockdown. Technology came to the rescue allowing teachers and students to learn in virtual classroom environments.

Research and lots of tools
The internet has provided access a lot of information on a variety of subject which can help kids solve school work. We have sites like Wikipedia, software like Microsoft Mathematics, Photomath, Google translate, ABCmouse.com and more, all designed to make learning fun.

Collaboration among teachers and students
With modern technology, students can learn from the way others solve similar problems while working on projects together which helps them build friendship with people from different parts of the world which also teaches teamwork.
_{Kids learn to work together Source}

Negative Impacts of Technology

Advancements in the area of technology is creating a new set of challenge in the education and development of kids which are as a result of it being misused or abused.

Affects communication Skills
A good number of kids are more comfortable communicating through a device things they would not have the boldness to say face to face. They may be fluent while texting or calling but can't interact that well in person. And the shortened forms used in SMS communication is affecting the kids in school.

Health issues
Kids who are more attached to their devices either phone or play station ends up becoming obese as they are sedentary, they move and play less compared to other kids who move and run around.
Their feeding habits is affected as they prefer a quick snack over real food.

Exposure to inappropriate materials
Some forms of technology like ICT makes it difficult for parents to censor the information that gets to their kids. Such information may come as demoralizing violence scenes, sexually debased content, radicalization and some age sensitive information.

_{unsupervised use of technology is distractive Source}

Regulate The Use of Technology

Parents can and should control their kids exposure to various technologies. Most parents who are digital immigrants are too reluctant to learn what their kids are doing on Facebook, TikTok and so on, the are ok with their button phones while the kids have the androids and iphones.

Be a Good Example
If you are a digital citizen, it means you were born before the coming of this technologies but you have passed through naturalization and now can flow with technology. In that case, try not to let your kids have the impression that it is the norm to always have your head in the phone, else they will do the same and even worst.

Protect in the physical and virtual world
Just as kids need to be guided and protected in the physical environment in which they live, the same protection is needed in the cyber environment, but unfortunately, parents who are digital immigrants are often not interested in technology and are not ready to learn. If you are with them in cyber space, you will see the danger coming.

Setup child protection accounts
Learn the technology and know your options. You can create accounts for your children, accounts that are protected and monitored. If you can't configure some restrictions to specific or similar offensive sites, you can call someone to help activate content filtering. Just know that some cable TV services can restrict channels.
The TV can be set to go off at specific times. Be in charge of the TV remote and not the other way round.

Update and Upgrade their moral compass
You can't truly or really follow your kids everywhere they go but you can build values and principles in them and that will follow them around and guide them when you are not watching.

Understand the language of technology
When your kids know that you can find out where exactly the have visited online and that you know how to access browser history they will sit-up or be more selective. As they upgrade and learn how to clean or edit history be one step ahead, they are kids. You have to learn, not for you but for them.

Addiction to technology
While the digital immigrants are apprehensive of technology and wish not to use it, our kids who are digital natives are forming an addiction to various forms of technology, some are hooked up to games, can't spend a day away from their phone, spend the whole day on social media, will get sick if the phone went bad.

Conclusion

Whether you can not use technology as a digital immigrant or you can also use technology as a digital citizen, all our kids are digital natives, they can be technology smart, but we are life smart.
It is our responsibility to protect our kids while showing them how to make positive use of various technologies.
We can't stop them, they need technology to survive.
Helping the kids to make responsible use of Today's technology is what this should be all about.