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CHILDREN WITH DIGITAL DEVICES: WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

Business TalkApril 14, 2021420 Comments02.4k

Increasingly present in our daily lives, technology has brought several changes. And that doesn’t just happen in the adult world: childhood is also being influenced by the digital age. That rush in the playgrounds, streets and school breaks is becoming less frequent and, today, we end up seeing more children playing on the digital devices and fewer children playing outdoors.

However, this is not necessarily a bad thing! Devices, such as notebooks, tablets and smartphones, can ensure a healthy, fun and educational distraction and even teach a profession, as long as the child is well oriented.

Parents have a fundamental role in this journey, taking care that the child does not go beyond the limits in front of the small screen, controlling their activities in the face of these instruments and taking care that the child is not the target of malicious people. Want to know more about it? Then check out our article!

Is it advisable to restrict children’s use of digital devices?

The standard recommendation is that the child only begins to have access to digital devices after 18 months of age and that they use them in their day-to-day lives, preferably only after the age of two. Before that, exposure should be avoided.

From two to five years of age, the time for using the computer, smartphone or tablet should be approximately one hour a day. From the age of five, exposure can be increased progressively, without accounting for the use of the computer for strictly academic activities.

Why shouldn’t children stay at the computer for too long?

Those who have children at home know: when they are distracted and immersed in an activity, the relief is great.

In the past, it was said that television was the “modern nanny” and, today, that title has been transferred to new technologies. We warn that parents should try to have quality time with their children also offline, carrying out various activities, such as reading, playing and talking.

We know that the daily routine is heavy, and managing personal and professional life in parallel with the daily care for children can be tiring. That is precisely why the Internet ends up becoming a point of relief.

Every child needs to diversify their activities, and that includes having time to play with other children, running, playing sports and relating to their parents. All of these activities are fundamental to forming an individual with a healthy body and mind.

What is the importance of encouraging children to practice other activities?

Encouraging children’s habits of using the computer has many benefits for the little ones, such as it helps in the development of skills. Children’s games, for example, help a lot in improving logical reasoning. However, this does not mean that these must be the only types of a hobby!

In the topic above, we mentioned that to preserve physical and mental health, the computer must be just one of the child’s activities – and not the only one. Balancing children’s time on the computer with the practice of other activities is very important, reflecting positively on adult life.

Promoting socialization through simple actions, such as family games and coexistence with other children, and stimulating creativity with creative dynamics, such as gouache paint or coloured pencils, are some of the activities that can be proposed to little ones.

What are the risks that children can have when using a computer?

Technology has not only brought benefits to people. Like everything in life, it has its pros and cons. Therefore, parents should monitor the use and behaviour of children on the computer, so that they can enjoy the benefits of the digital age without running any danger.

To prevent your children from taking risks with contact with technologies, carefully observe the following questions.

1. Cheers

Excessive computer use can cause poor posture, disrupt sleep and, consequently, school performance and even cause RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury).

Parents should encourage the child to exercise and have a correct posture when using the computer. It is also necessary to ensure that the screen brightness is adequate, maintain a healthy diet and ensure that children have at least eight hours of sleep daily.

2. Safety

Just as the Internet can be used for many good things, it can also prove to be a haven for malicious people. It is always necessary to know with whom the child talks and interacts in social networks and online games. To ensure their safety, rents can use FamilyTime parental monitoring app that help them have a detailed view of their kids’ online activities. With apps like FamilyTime, parents can know what apps their kids use and what sites do they visit etc. To see how does the app work, try it for free just by hitting the links given below:

It is also important to teach children basic safety precautions, such as not sharing family photos, addresses, phone numbers and routines.

Technology is here to stay and change the world! Therefore, in the face of this new scenario, it is not possible to prohibit the use of these devices by children. The obligation of parents is to stay informed and enjoy the benefits that the digital age is bringing to the personal and professional training of the little ones!