As we live in a technology-dominated world today, it is bound to impact all aspects of our lives, including parenting. Even though technology has brought us plenty of benefits, it has also evoked some negative aspects. We can and should use the advantages of technology in whatever aspect to aid us. However, we need to be careful in order for it not to become prevailing. In this case, we’re talking about raising children. We should still use our common sense, logic and traditional upbringing concepts, in combination with technology.
Some of the benefits of using technology in raising children include better hand and eye coordination in children. Also, there is way more information available for kids to grasp. Technology has a way of improving basic language and problem-solving skills, besides being quite interactive. On the other hand, some drawbacks include the potential difficulty with finding balance as well as emotional disconnection. And another problem is the escape from reality into virtual reality.
Benefits of using technology in raising children
A better hands and eye coordination
One of the greatest benefits of technology in the aspect of raising children is their development. Development in the sense of better hands and eye coordination with the help of various educational games. These games can be potentially helpful. They teach kids coordination skills as they require them to chase or click on some objects on the screen. By doing that, they interact with the system and acquire these skills much faster than without tech.
More information available
Technology and the internet have made access to more information instantly possible. For example, we can quickly find information about where to buy organic baby clothes in Australia or any other place. We can also learn about the benefits of green vegetables as well as some extraordinary vacation destinations. In a slightly different way, kids also use technology to find out about diverse things. For them, it’s amusing to watch videos of animals making sounds at an early age. Later on, they expand their zones of interest. Before the internet, we had encyclopedias, but they weren’t available to everyone. The internet, however, is, in most cases.
Improved basic language skills & problem-solving skills
Technology also has the power to teach kids and improve their language skills. It can be their mother tongue language skills or even secondary language skills. This is often done through cartoons and visual representations of various objects. It vocally accompanied.
More interaction
In order for technology to be beneficial for kids, they need to have a certain amount of interactive screen time. In this way, kids acquire various skills. However, it is healthier when parents monitor what kids do with their phones. Educational games, cartoons and quizzes are all ok. To ensure your kids are using only such, beneficial apps, you can install a spying app. It is a win-win for both sides as you can be on top of things and prevent misuse.
Drawbacks of using technology in raising children
More difficult to find balance
Besides the benefits, there are some drawbacks to using technology in raising children. One such drawback is the fact that parents report that it is more difficult to find balance with technology in the way. The biggest struggle is reflected in the omnipresence of technology and 24/7 availability. It’s difficult for parents to find a balance between having to respond to work emails and enjoying family time.
Emotional disconnection
Some studies found a connection between parents being emotionally disconnected and using technology. When speaking about the use of technology, we refer to parents reading emails or messages related to work. Problematic are those featuring not so good news. This kind of behaviour often resulted in snapping at kids. And kids snapping at each other and their parents.
Virtual reality
Another drawback of the prevailing presence of technology in our lives is the easy escape from reality into virtual reality. People and kids as well do this when they are facing a problem. It can be consciously and unconsciously. It is easier as in that way they don’t have to deal with the issue. However, this is not a healthy approach to solving the problem. So, you should be mindful of both yourself and your kids to prevent using technology as an unhealthy escape from problems.
As you can observe, there are both benefits and drawbacks to using technology in raising children. We live in the contemporary age, so it is impossible to avoid technology altogether. Instead, we need to learn how to use it appropriately, to our advantage. We should strive for reaping most, if not all the benefits and steer clear as much as we can from the drawbacks. Balance is crucial – always have that in mind.