This generation of children raised in today’s society has an abundance of new technology that we didn’t have when we were younger. For leisure or education, the children of today are relying heavily on technology.

Devices such as smartphones, tablets and other advanced computer software have become a staple hold in our homes and a resource for our children to use.

Children’s psychologist, Dr Haneen Jarrar at Camali Clinic in Dubai, states: “More than four hours of screen time per day is very high for a child. We see many children watching seven hours of TV a day, and some of them are as young as two years old.”

Her research has shown that children who watched more than four hours of television a day were “more likely to be overweight and those who see violence on television are more likely to become aggressive”.

As adults, we know when technology can start to become harmful to our mental and physical health. With children, they won’t be able to limit themselves, nor will they understand the long-term effects of over-reliance on technology. Thus raising questions, can technology harm our kids?

What are the Uses of Technology by Our Children?

Kids use technology for leisure, education, learn new information as well as simplifying their lives through gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and home automation devices.

Just like adults, the purpose of technology is to make our lives better. You’ll notice that just like adults, children use technology for leisure and education.

Leisure

Watching videos, playing video games, contacting friends, socialising with their communities, keeping up to date with events and interests.

Education

Learning school curriculum, researching school-related topics, developing problem-solving skills through online tutorials and data. Learning from data, that may not be available in physical form.

Kids in today’s society most commonly use tablets or computers to play games and socialise with friends. They are provided with tablets and computers at school for learning. Just like playing physical sports, video games are just as competitive and social.

Moreover, just like watching television, videos on the computer or devices is just as appealing and entertaining. Just like listening to a teacher at a school, video tutorials online can also be a useful learning tool.

Technology helps provide our children value by giving them a different option of leisure or education.

Benefits of Technology for Our Children

Technology advancements have allowed us as a society to learn more about the world, ourselves and others. It has helped us to work, socialise, learn and relax more efficiently and with less effort.

The devices and forms of technology that help us to achieve this are smartphones, smart gadgets, advanced software and hardware, home automation and improvements, and more.

As this benefits us, same goes for our children. Due to the abundance of technology and its resources, having an education in this day and age is far better than any generation of knowledge of the past.

Technology’s Harmfulness for Our Children

Though technology has its benefits from obvious to the subtle, there can also be a degree of harm if it misused. Though technology can benefit a child with learning resources, there is also the risk of them accessing content that may be harmful. Here are the particular dangers of technology for children.

Excessive Use

This may be that the child is watching far too many videos or playing too many games. As children are too young to know how much or why they should limit themselves, being on the computer or smart device for too long makes them unproductive, and can lead to addiction and poor lifestyle habits.

Accessing Prohibited Content

There are certain ways you can monitor what your child does when on the computer or the internet, but controlling what they see can sometimes be difficult. The risk is that children can access content made for mature audiences that can have the potential to harm them in the long term.

Children may Become lazy

By developing an over-reliance on technology, the child will create dependency. As home automation has become so advanced over the past few years, small activities such as standing up to get the air conditioner remote, turning the lights and tv on and off can all be controlled by voice or from the touch of your fingertips. Though this simplifies lives, it leads to less physical activity.

The disadvantage to physical health

As children do become lazy when they rely so much on technology to perform simple tasks, children’s physical health can also take a hit in the process. Kids can grow overweight, obese, develop poor posture if sitting for too long or other health-related problems.

THE FINAL SAY

Like all aspects of general health and wellbeing, moderation is the key to improving your lifestyle and developing healthier habits. It’s ok for your child to take advantage of the technological advancements of today’s society. However, it’s essential that they don’t abuse it.

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