Technology is so important today that we can barely imagine our lives without our smartphones, tablets, GPS, smart watches, TVs and tons of other gadgets. But it can’t replace human interaction and real-life experience, especially for kids, who are still exploring and learning about the real world. In fact, experts are now warning that when used in early age, gadgets restrict kids’ normal development.
It’s a well-known fact that when used improperly, technology can do more harm than good – it can alienate us from each other and lead to obsessive use. We’ve all heard about the so-called Internet addiction in teens, but the truth is we are all more or less dependent and addicted to our computers and gadgets. And while in adults, this problem can be easily solved and is a matter of personal choice, for kids, it can have long-term consequences. Many parents believe technology helps their children learn and think better but that is not the case in reality. Parents often forget that before introducing their toddlers to touchscreens, they first need to master other essential skills.
Younger children learn how to communicate and deal with the world through firsthand experience. It means they need face-to-face interaction with their families and other people in order to learn basic social rules and develop emotions that no game or app can teach them. Sadly, toddlers and pre-schoolers nowadays experience much of the world through playing on tablets and phones. This doesn’t teach them empathy, doesn’t teach them how to tell right from wrong, and it definitely doesn’t teach them how to control their emotions. And these are only the basis for the normal, biological psycho-social development.
Gadgets hinder not only kids’ psychological development, however. Instead of playing with building blocks, many toddlers focus on virtual objects on various devices, which robs them of the opportunity to fully use their arms and hands. This may sound extreme to some parents, but yes, experts claim that the use of tablets is harmful for their developing bodies, especially arm muscles. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK says that toddlers and pre-schoolers, who spend hours on their parents’ iPads, have little or no dexterity in their fingers. Many muscles will simply remain weak if they aren’t used in real-life activities. The association also notices that these children can’t perform simple tasks such as playing with building blocks due to their improperly developed muscles.
But these aren’t new discoveries – experts have always known that technology can be harmful for children. So, why do parents let their kids play with the phone or tablet for hours? Because it’s often easier to use your phone as a distraction for the little kid, who will otherwise require your full attention. Sadly, that kind of digital babysitters are becoming more common, because today’s parents grew up with technology unlike older generations. According to some experts, parents nowadays don’t see technology as something that should be forbidden for kids. Just the opposite, kids and parents will likely play video games together.
A 2013 study, called “Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America”, found that over 35 percent of 2-year-old or younger children use mobile media. In comparison, in 2011, this percentage was around 10. This is an extremely important finding as it shows a very clear and concerning tendency – technology enters kids’ lives in increasingly younger age. And this will inevitably affect our entire society.
