Technology & Youth - Usefulness VS Addiction

Young people are often accused of misusing modern technology. However, watching television helps them gain awareness about what is happening around the world. Unlimited cell phone texting and calling allow them to communicate in promptly and freely. Constant access to the internet helps them with their school duties.

In its 2015 publication “Teens, Social Media & Technology”, the Pew Research Center reported that 92% of teens say that they go online daily. Three-quarters of responding teens have access to a smartphone through which they can use the internet. According to a 2011 Pew study “Teens, Kindness, and Cruelty on Social Network Sites”, parents noted that the internet and mobile devices help their kids to find the necessary information, make connections with friends and family, and become more independent. Technology can also help with the process of learning - internet and digital search tools have had a mostly positive impact on students’ research work according to 77% of their teachers. There are many benefits from modern ICT, but there is also a real and beautiful world outside where people can spend some quality time with friends and family.

The negative side of the technology is that kids are exposed to inappropriate content, it provides a platform for poor online behavior, and it takes time away from face-to-face interactions with family and friends. Research shows that 77% of parents feel that their children are distracted by technology and don’t engage in interpersonal relations when they are together. Moreover, 72% of teenagers feel the need to immediately respond to messages and other notifications. A typical teenager in a day spends up to nine hours on texting, gaming, watching videos and posting on social networks. They are doing it even while they write their homework. This kind of multitasking can hurt their ability to stay focused since their attention shifts abruptly whenever a new message or notification arrives. 87% of the teachers agree that technologies are creating an easily distracted generation with short attention spans.

In the early years, the way parents behave has a great impact on forming children’s social values and norms. What do they often see? Mature people take their phones not just to talk to people, but also to watch numerous videos, play games whenever they get a chance, and take pictures of themselves in a bathroom. The kids want to take part in it. It’s the same with teenagers. You can’t forbid them to use their phone in the house while you are doing it yourself. Teenagers loathe hypocrisy.

If you want to curb overly excessive technology usage, you need to set boundaries for everyone in the house. It would also be good to ask your child to propose the rules. This contract should contain what they do and how much time they spend on it in exchange for their technology privileges. It also should contain consequences of not abiding by the household rules. To make it equal, you allow them to say what they think you should do to earn your technology privileges and list of consequences if you do not abide them. After that, you can start the negotiation process in which you can work on exceptions like a very important business call, but then you should allow your children an exception of their own. During the negotiation process, you should let your children lead, but, of course, as a parent, you can form a list of terms you think are fair. In the end, you write up the agreed rules and hang them up somewhere in the house. And you respect the rules, addict!

There is no question that technology will continue to accelerate faster than our ability to anticipate and deal with the consequences. To harness the good and curb the harmful, we need to stay informed and conscious. Parents have a rather difficult but worthwhile task of developing practices that will allow their children the space for growth and progress while keeping them safe and free of technology addiction.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3.