Effect of Technology on Children

Technology has altered civilization during the last few decades. It has had an impact on socializing and job. It currently governs all activities and transactions that people engage in. With the advancement of technology, children are no longer left outside. This can be shown by examining how today’s children socialize and play. This study will examine the good and negative effects of technology on youth.

Negative Implications of Technology

It is true that the advancement of technology has had negative implications. One of the bad consequences is that it encourages sloth.Moreover, it has been noted that that most of the children in this current generation are overly dependent on special devices and tools which makes them lazy. Technology provides shortcuts to performing particular tasks. As much as it simplifies things, it encourages kids to be overly dependent. For example, previously, they had to go out to play with their friends. This created opportunities for them to develop social skills while also working out their bodies by running around. By seeking fun outside the house, a child could engage in some exertion outside for fun. However, with the advancements, computer games rule homes. Children no longer need to meet others to have fun. They particularly seat behind televisions, smartphones or computers for long hours while watching cartoons or playing video games. Rather than going to libraries to get proper books, online materials are used instead. Technology denies kids the rewards of spending their time outdoors. By just sitting behind screens, they become lazy. Worse, this promotes obesity as it has been noted that cases of child obesity are drastically rising (Patel, 2017).

Influence on Thoughts and Feelings

Technology also influences thoughts and feelings. This is because it produces stimuli which affect the thought processed of a child. This calls for the need to give attention to children. As noted, kids who mostly lack concentration and focus are often those who spend most of their time online or playing video and computer games. It is the advancement of skills and know-how that social media has been created. Youngsters will always react or make decisions based on what they have seen or what is being promoted by others in the social media platforms. It is this interactive technological platform that nowadays make children occupied. As much as it entertains them, it affects their thought processes. For example; it is common for them to ask for items that they have seen in sites such as Facebook or twitter. Those advertisements on social platforms that help create either a positive or negative impression towards a particular product. Also, it is through these sites that the young get to adopt and develop their feelings while influencing their behavior (Roman, 2015). Technology also produces negative effects on children such as exposure to violence, isolation and even socialization problems. These effects can result in psychological problems in the future.

Positive Effects of Technology on Children

Technology encourages creativity. By exposing the young generation to the advanced knowledge, it enables them to develop interests on them. It is only through interaction with special programs that creativity can be sparked. A child who positively links with knowledge being relayed can take interest with regards to matters of technological advancements too (Rowan, 2013). Since it is impossible to move back to the previous era, that is the period where skills were minimal; it is crucial to orient children into understanding skill. This will help in technological improvements in future. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter were created by young adults who had a passion for knowledge and advancement since their early childhood. When children are well taught and allowed to use technology, their creativity is sparked. As a result, development of even more sophisticated technologies in the future is likely to happen. Expertise sparks creativity since it promotes self-questioning. Children can ask how a particular item of their liking came to be. To have an answer, it will demand learning and creativity to improve on the particular skill.

Technology promotes children education. With knowhow, learning has been simplified and made to be a fun activity. This as such, promotes schooling and learning. Technological advancement are not used in school because they are attractive. They are used because the teachers are facilitated with advanced tools and devices which facilitate proper child development. They are a creative means used to enable children to learn. Kids can obtain necessary information easily from the internet. Also, teaching the youngsters using technological items such as the iPad and projectors create a better learning environment. Technology helps in attracting child participation in learning. As compared to the olden days where text books were the only tools for teaching, the advancement of equipment and machinery has provided learning materials that make learning fun for the kids. Children need not to go to libraries for those heavy textbooks to get reference materials. The internet provides necessary reference materials for studying. Moreover, technology provides the essential avenue for interactive learning. It is through these sessions that a child can develop on his visual attention (Donohue, 2012).

In conclusion, technological advancements can be said to have a significant influence on a child’s development. It influences their choice of lifestyle. Therefore, parents need to play a special role by managing children interactions with technology.

References

Donohue, C. (2012, December 18). technology can benefit young children. Retrieved from www.erikson.edu/news/technology-can-banafit-young-children-when-used-appropriately-says-donohue/

Patel, D. (2017, March 5). Will Technology Ruin Your Children’s Development. Retrieved from https://journal.thriveglobal.com/will-technology-ruin-your-childrens-development-663351c76974

Roman, S. (2015). Technology’s harmful effects on children. Retrieved August 5, 2017, from http://publicsource.org/technologys-harmful-effects-on-children/

Rowan, C. (2013, July 29). The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child. Retrieved from m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3343245