Technology And Children: What Is The Right Time?

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It is quite rare to meet a kid of the new generation who is unaware of laptops, mobile phones and digital cameras. Children are exposed to the latest technology and gadgets at a very early age now.

So much so that even toddlers can handle a cell phone long before they can even say the word "phone". They seem to be naturally more tech-savvy than the earlier generations.

They know better about operating touch screens than many adults!

However, as parents, we need to understand what long-term effects this gadget-obsession can have on our children. Is it healthy to have a kid glued to a Tablet or phone all the time?

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At a very young age, kids are getting getting addicted to the gaming world. And it is important for parents to know how this addiction can impact their children's overall development.

A good parenting tip here would be to balance the time kids spend with gadgets. There should be an age limit when kids can start using gadgets and gizmos.

The age when you want to introduce your child to technology should completely rely on you. Very early exposure can lead to many disadvantages to your kid's mental and physical growth. Here are some of them:

Growing Up Too Fast - Wide use of mobile phone games, television, internet and other technological aspects can result in early maturity of kids. These days we see kids getting attracted to adult content and social networking right from the tender age of 8 or 10. Kids are losing their innocence as they are exposed to things far beyond their understanding. A good parenting tip is to keep a watch on what your kids are doing on the internet. Till a certain age, do not allow them to have social networking accounts.

Turning Into Couch potatoes - Technology has made everything easy for us. However, let's not allow technology to turn our children into couch potatoes. Encourage them to see the outside world and let your kids be exposed to physical activities and training. Kids should be playing cricket with a bat and ball, not on a cell phone or playstation. They are forgetting the good old games of hide and seek, badminton, tennis, and so many others. A good parenting tip here is to make your kids play a good sport or play with friends on playgrounds and gardens.

Excessive Violence - There are many video games in the market that are violent in nature. Such games affect the mental development of kids. A good parenting tip here is to keep a watch on what your kid is playing on the phone and internet. As parents, we must make them understand that what they see on video games is not meant for the real world!

Right Time - There is a right time for everything. Your kid may like his playstation, but that does not mean he will not show interest in other things! And when he does, be it outdoor games or music or playacting, it is your responsibility as parents to encourage him as much as possible. A good parenting tip is to let your kids be free to explore their creativity at their own pace.

Technology is bound to have a significant effect in your children's life, but with the right guidance, they will eventually learn to balance the virtual world and the real world.