Influence of modern gadgets on children (pros and cons)

The life of a modern person can no longer be imagined without such things as a tablet, a phone, a computer. Children, watching the life of adults, from the cradle begin to be interested in gadgets: since mom and dad pay so much attention to these things, it means that they are really interesting. The attitude of parents to the introduction of gadgets into a child's life is ambiguous: some actively use them, others are persistently trying to protect the child from modern trends.

You should not rush to extremes, because the truth, as usual, is somewhere in between. A child is born and grows up in the modern world, and modern life places quite high demands on a person. Already in elementary school, the child will need knowledge of a computer, so it is not very prudent to carefully prevent the child from acquaintance with various electronic devices. Uncontrolled use of gadgets by a child also does not lead to good, therefore gadgets should be in the life of children, but dosed and under parental control. Let's consider in more detail what are the pros and cons of using gadgets.

Pros of using gadgets

A way to temporarily occupy a child in the "field" conditions. Children find it hard to endure long waiting in lines, a long journey, standing in traffic jams. Toys, books, felt-tip pens and an album may not always be at hand, but adults do not part with gadgets, and here they will be very useful. A smartphone or tablet with cartoons, games or interesting applications will help brighten up the child's painful minutes and hours.
The development of cognitive processes and the acquisition of new knowledge. Some computer games and applications really contribute to the development of attention, memory, logical thinking, teach to read, count, draw. There are also cognitive cartoons that allow the child to gain new knowledge about the world around him. The catch is that there are not so many high-quality educational games and cartoons, most only declare an educational effect.

Children aged 2-3 years (it is at this time that children begin to be interested in new modern devices) can be installed on a laptop or tablet with age-appropriate educational games. The main thing is that parents control the time spent by the child with the gadget. Children under 3 years old should be engaged with devices for no more than an hour a day, every 20 minutes you need to take a break in order to rest your eyes. For an older child, the time for "communication" with gadgets can be increased, but it is also necessary to take breaks after 20-30 minutes of classes or games.

Cons of using gadgets

"One-sidedness" of the developmental effect. Since we are talking about the fact that gadgets contribute to the development of the child, it is worth mentioning the other side of the coin. For a young child, whose imaginative thinking is still being formed, the developmental effect of cartoons and programs tends to zero. When a child is actively exploring the world of objects, it is important that all channels of perception are involved. To understand that the cube is square and the ball is round, it is not enough for him to see the images - he must definitely touch, feel with the handles the edges and edges of the cube, the roundness of the ball. As a result, a developmental video gives a one-sided effect: formally, the child remembers something, but in fact does not master the information deeply and efficiently.
Negative impact on health and physical development. First of all, we are talking about visual impairment. If the child is regularly larger 20 minutes a day looks at a computer monitor or the screen of a phone or tablet, then after six months his visual acuity begins to decline. The second aspect of the negative impact on health is associated with the fact that children who spend a lot of time playing games and cartoons move much less, and this systemically affects the state of the whole organism. Children often sit at a computer / tablet / laptop, stooping, and this provokes curvature of the spine and problems with posture in the future. READ IN DETAIL: Influence of the tablet on the child: 10 reasons to say "NO"!
Decreased creativity. No games or apps will ever replace spontaneous creativity, work with real materials and vibrant color. In real life, the child fantasizes. He glues, sculpts, cuts, paints, combines, finds the most unexpected solutions. The virtual space deprives him of creativity, because there he can act only within the options provided by the program manufacturer.
Displacement of interests, relationships and attachments into the virtual space. This is a very serious consequence, and it only occurs when gadgets are abused. The child literally falls out of real life: all his interests are focused on the virtual world. In this case, we can talk about dependence on gadgets.
Rarely, but mental disorder is possible. If the child often plays games where there is a lot of blood and horror.

Gadget addiction and how to avoid it

If gadgets occupy the entire consciousness of a child, we can say that addiction is forming. It can be recognized by the following features:

The child ceases to be interested in real life: he does not play with toys, does not strive to communicate with peers.
Relations with parents fade into the background for the child, and instead of a joint activity, he also prefers to spend time with a tablet or computer.
Attempts to limit the time for games and cartoons causes violent protest and hysteria.

Normal intellectual and personal development in this situation is impossible, because it can only occur in real relationships and in the real world. To prevent addiction to gadgets and reduce their negative impact, it is important to use them wisely and adhere to the following rules.

Do not exceed the permissible time spent at the computer / tablet. It is different for each age. Perhaps the child will protest, but the parents should be firm. Do not forget that you are an adult, and the responsibility for the life and health of the little creature lies with you.
Follow age guidelines for games and cartoons. You should not overload the child with information that he cannot perceive.
Do not use gadgets to "get rid" of the child unnecessarily. In some situations, they really are a salvation, but if a mother, for example, is going to cook dinner or do household chores, it is better to include the child in this process than to include a cartoon for him.

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By the way, it is not recommended to let children play with gadgets before going to bed, as the child can become overexcited and sleep poorly or not at all.

Thus, it is important for parents not to allow gadgets to become a source of problems in a child's life. Smart and moderate use of gadgets will really contribute to the development of the child and help him keep pace with the times.

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