Technology plays a crucial part in our lives. In today’s world, it’s difficult to do work without use of technology. This same ideology is being followed by parents as they cope with their busy schedules. Being a parent enables them to bring about ways which are easier to calm down their kin.
A recent study done on the usage of phone amongst kids reveal that there has been a sudden growth in the sales of smartphones which are bought for kids of age 12-18 years. It’s also shocking to note that schools are indulging students to have activities in the classroom which encourages them to access smartphones. On the other hand, some schools preach a complete technology-free environment for the kids to learn and develop.
The reasons for this dynamic way of teaching comes from the possible side effects of using technology in the early years of a child. The side effects include
1. Restriction on physical activities: when we think of using smartphones, the time spent in doing so is spent just sitting with no bodily movement whatsoever. This harms their growth and ability to do physical activities to a great. When kids spend every day just sitting at one place it negatively impacts their posture and restricts their muscle. This kind of lifestyle can lead to obesity and many other health problems. It is, in fact, the duty of parents to make sure that their kids have a daily dose of exercise and can burn down calories to stay healthy.
2. Limits socialising: One of the drastic impacts that using technology causes is limiting the kid to the outer world. When a child is entertained and passes time through these smartphones, he or she chooses to stay home instead of playing with friends. There is also a consecutive effect that is seen. When one kid gets a phone to pass time with, the other one demands too. With this chain, every child in the group stops playing and do not indulge in activities as they should be doing.
3. Affects academic and extra-curricular performance: Introduction of smartphones before a certain age can create a huge negative impact on a child’s life. When kids carry phones in school premises, they are usually distracted by it as by engaging in social media applications. This attracts not only the child having the phone but his or her classmates as well. This leads to absence of attentiveness and knowledge. Even with the physical drill, the kids perform lesser to their capabilities due to this very reason. Also from various researches conducted it is implied that smartphones enable the brain to switch between things constantly, which leads to less concentration power in growing kids.
Hence the issue of introduction of technology in a child’s life of great concern. It is the responsibility of a parent to look after their child, to create never-ending interests and curiosity and to encourage and appreciate when they lose or win respectively.
