We are living in a generation where technology has taken over. A generation wherein a child who hasn’t yet learned how to talk can already unlock a smartphone and launch an installed app. Kids these days are smitten with technology, although perhaps it is not that they adore technology so much but only because of the fact they have never lived without it makes them obsessive towards it.
Together with technology’s outstanding benefits, it also holds numerous negative and positive outcomes for the children of the techy era; it is like a coin that has two sides. Parents are now using the internet as another way to raise their children, letting them face monitors and screens as another way of teaching them early. Children who are left unattended for hours facing technology are said to acquire side effects as they grow. There is no denying that technology’s impact in the world today is huge and very strong and that the children are the ones primarily affected. Here are some of its positive and negative impacts to a child’s life.
Education advancement
With most libraries becoming outdated as time passes due to lack of support, technology has given way to a whole new dimension of learning. Information that is not found in any textbooks are now stored on the web, available for all children to access. Students now carry mobiles and other devices as another source of knowledge. Instead of scanning for books for a single question, with just one click, the answer is already given. Knowledge has become abundant and children are now excelling in different academic sectors due to the unlimited fast access of information.
However, due to technology’s limitless accessibility, children often come across to information they are not supposed to know at a very early age. They are easily exposed to media’s violent news, adult stories and videos, unethical human behaviour, disturbing happenings, uncensored videos and talks, uncontrolled cursing and false information. Young minds should be installed with goodness and knowledge that would help them grow, however, unsupervised use of technology could lead to disoriented thinking as they grow. Influenced by what they see or read, curiosity will take over their innocent minds.
Video Games
Game applications that are installed on mobiles, tablets, laptops and computers are the newest trend in this generation. Educational games are the newest for early education done by the parents. Parents would often let their children play games that are unblocked from school to practice their thinking skills. Some of these games need strategic planning, often improves a child’s mind to test their IQ, their ability to plan every move, to test their knowledge, to challenge them to try harder and to teach them to try again after failing to surpass a certain level.
However, due to technology’s rapid advancement, game creators have also released games not suitable for children. Games that consist of violence and killing are the new wave among kids. Children would often skip schools to play these type of games, instead of playing outside and live their childhood days, they are now within air-conditioned rooms facing computers together with kids their age playing RPG or Shooting games. Children would face computers for more than 5 hours to play; some would even do all-nighters to take part in certain tournaments. There are instances where they imitate the violence they see in the games they play, thinking that what they saw was normal because it’s the new trend. Thus, neglecting their studies, missing the time they should be playing outside and experiencing life as kids, lack of time and communication with the family and sometimes disregarding the time to eat their meals due to too much playing.
Communicating with others
With a single click of a button, messages that used to take days, month or even years to send are now being sent in just a split of a second. Children can now interact with their ages through social media and contact relatives who are living far. Kids who have parents working overseas can easily talk to their parents in order to maintain their relationship. Children are now using technology to express the thoughts they cannot say in person through text messages, chats, social media posts, and calls. Hence, technology has given way to a better understanding towards the children. Technology has become a medium that connects people, cultures, beliefs, races and principles.
However, due to having technology as another way to communicate, the natural way of communicating is slowly becoming endangered. The heart to heart talks that are supposedly done personally is disappearing. While technology is drawing people, who are far away closer, at the same time, it is causing more and more distance to those who are with you in person. Children are now focusing on using their devices, ignoring those who they are with, they become too savvy with technology that they make it as their primary priority. Parents are now having a tough time talking to their kids who are busy texting and chatting. Parents can no longer watch over to what their kids are conversing and sending to other people. Thus, becoming ignorant to how their kids are growing.
Body’s Physique
With technology, many forms of body enhancing machines are built. Besides mobiles and computers, children can also do virtual games that involve moving. This certain virtual game is made to create interactive scenarios which reflect real-life situations. It is both physical and mental learning, all sorts of games can be physically played by children while emitting sweat. Frail children who cannot withstand the heat outside can stay at home while still having the chance to play.
However, these types of exercising and playing are not good for a child’s growth. Technologically playing could end up with a social disorder; children often have a tough time playing and interacting with kids. Staying at home could cause their bones to weaken and their body prone to sickness due to the absence of beneficial bacteria that is needed by the body that is only acquired outside of a child’s home. Somebody side effects are also attained by facing computers and mobiles such as pain in their fingers and wrists, narrowed blood vessels in their eyes, and both neck and back pain due to being slumped over technology.
Technology has brought unmeasured benefits towards the youth and adults; however, it is different with children. Children are not yet in need of technology exposure, they are still meant to play, witness nature and experience life themselves not through a virtual reality that technology has offered. Parents should interact with their children instead of depending on the internet to provide enjoyment and knowledge to their kids. Indeed, there are positive things technology has given to children; however, the negative outcomes in the future are the ones that give the life impact to them, there are a lot more disadvantages towards being exposed to technology at an early age.
