5 myths about technology and kids

Myth #1 - If my child uses the computer every day, he/she will become addicted.

This is a very real fear felt by parents everywhere. Kids can often spend hours on the computer especially if they are playing a challenging game.

However, the answer to that is not to ban your child from playing the computer. According to a Huffington Post report, parents who structure time for their child to use the computer have found great benefits. For example, setting aside two hours for your child to use the computer productively can actually aid in enhancing your child’s sense of self-discipline. But it is also important for you to continue encouraging outdoor play and activities. The key thing here is supervision and some rules to govern computer use as a total ban will only cause them to find alternative ways to use the computer and this could be unsupervised.

Myth #2 - If my child goes on the computer he/she will be cyber-bullied

Yes, cyber-bullying is a concern but so is all forms of bullying. Thus it is important to minimise your child’s chances of being a victim or bully themselves. You can do this by having a communal computer that your child can use. This computer should be in an area where the family will tend to congregate such as the living room. Don’t allow them to have a computer in their room, especially if they are much younger.

Discuss with them the issue of bullying and what constitutes bullying; cyber or otherwise. Teach them that words can hurt and that they have to use the internet responsibly. Also, use the various parental controls to lock down the computer so your child can only get on sites with which you approve.

Myth #3 - My child is too young to be on a computer.

Only a few years ago, it may have seemed absurd to be discussing technology use for two and three year-old children. Today it is a different story. Because the use of computers and smartphones has flourished in our environment and kids are discovering the joys of YouTube at the tender ages of two, they are already exposed and well-oriented with the workings of computers (big and small).

Yet there are many benefits to using a computer at a young age that doens’t include freeing up a paret’s time while their toddler entertains himself playing nursery rhymes on the iPhone.

According to The Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting, \"Research suggests that 3 and 4-year old children exposed to computer activities that reinforce major educational objectives have greater developmental gains than children not exposed. These gains occurred in areas, such as intelligence, nonverbal skills, structural knowledge, long-term memory, manual dexterity, verbal skills, problem solving, abstraction and conceptual skills.\"

Once again what is important is parents have to be involved in training their young children to use the computer responsibly. Introduce them to educational sites that develop scholastic ability and not just gaming or cartoon sites. This will make learning much more fun and interactive for them. We recommend sites such as National Geographic Little Kids and PBS Kids for your under-fives.

Myth #4 - There is no educational value in my child playing video games.

Most video games require some form of thinking. However, if you are not keen on your child battling monsters or shooting pigs, there is still a wealth of educational video games on the Internet. This playful learning experience has been known to give great educational benefits. Playing computer games is now considered a part of the modern childhood experience, according to an article written by Cheryl Olson entitled 8 Reasons Video Games Can Improve Your Child. But it is important to choose the RIGHT game for your child so that they can benefit from the tools and skills the game requires them to utilise.

Myth #5 - If my child uses the computer, he/she will not develop social skills.

Yup we have all heard the claim that too much time on the computer, smartphone, tablet encourages anti-social behaviour and how face to face time with peers have been reduced to a few texts a week. However, with the advancement of technology, your little ones can still engage in face to face time with their peers online. Sites such as Skype and ePals also allow the opportunity for our children to interact with kids all over the world. This brings with it the added benefit of learning more about the cultures of their friends abroad.

Written by

Wafa Marican

parentingtechnologyactivities for kidskids games