Are Smart Phones really that bad for Young Kids?
The impacts of kids using the smartphones now a days
Owing to swiftly changing life patterns of living due to technological penetration of dependency on machines, Parenting also has become an exhausting job like never before. I often hear my married colleagues complaining about how their kids are always staring at their smart phone screens and less interested in any physical activity.
We have all seen that children these days are very comfortable with electronic gadgets and equipments. Where this alarms the parents about their physical and mental health, there are also positive opinions about the usage of smart phone technology in educating the children. Also, it is an accepted fact that children learn quickly through games and sporting activities.
Usage of smartphone among children .
Smartphones were once considered a luxury exclusively for adults. But, with the explosion of educational apps in the market, these devices suddenly become worthwhile for our little ones. However, the point of reckoning here would be, is it necessary for them to own a smart device at a young age?
My answer here would be yes owing to many reasons particularly regarding their education.
Positive use of Smart-Phones
Smartphones can be used an added element in learning process. According to PBS Parents Guide to Children & Media, giving a smartphone to a school-aged children will provide them an additional way of learning, apart from traditional books or classroom.
With a little bit of parental supervision, this usage can come very handy. For example, with the device, they can access a lot of learning resources such as mobile dictionaries, encyclopaedia, educational applications and augmented reality flash-cards.
Almost every smart phone is a mini computer now a day. It offers similar functionalities that of computers’. For instance, they can create a document for their assignments on their phone with the help of different apps; also it won’t be a problem if their teachers will require them to submit it via email or cloud service. Most importantly, it is built-in web browser gives them an instant access to Google’s resources online.
Another game changer for over-protective parents is a built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) in these devices. They can easily track the kids. This gives you the power to monitor them if ever they are skipping classes or going beyond your allowed distance.
Kids can learn a lot faster on smartphones.
On the other hand, they can also get in touch with you all the time. In case of unforeseen emergencies, (tornados, school fires or tropical storms) they can immediately inform you through voice or video call.
Children can also play with their gizmos by loading it with a multitude of child-friendly games. There are plenty of mind games that boost the mental health such as puzzles and Pictionary. Also, for toddlers, it can be handy for teaching them the names of colors, vegetables, animals or different items from daily life.
You can use it as a method of reward if they’ve accomplished their household chores or if they excelled in class.
One of the most amazing uses of these Smartphone apps is that they are helping children with disabilities. Those who are not “Fit-ins”.
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Handicap kids using the gadgets
Kids suffering from Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Muscular Dystrophy and Blindness are benefiting a huge deal with the apps like Learning Ally, Voice4U, and ZoomReader. iPhone and Android apps are huge blessings for schools, teachers, and parents to help these kids learn.
As good as it is, we can’t deny the fact that it can also bring some negative effects to them. It can be highly addictive and can also cause a distraction from their studies. It also opens the door to cyber bullying and restricted content online. That is why it is always important to monitor and control their usage.