Kids are exposed to the internet world too early these days. With technology finding new ways to be better and efficient every day, it’s no surprise kids these days won’t be aware of them.
With the rate of cyberbullying increasing day by day, social media has become a dangerous platform to be exposed to at a very early age.
As a parent, it’s important to know how much exposure is good for them and how much isn’t. Kids using the internet can be a blessing and a curse; So, it’s vital you keep an eye out when your child is browsing the web.
Lucky for you, we’re going to be talking about both the benefits and the disadvantages of online exposure for your kids.
Smartphones, tablets or a TV may sound like time -consuming devices without any benefits to your kids. You’ll be surprised to know that there are positives to being exposed to them.
If used properly and smartly, you can help your child to be more curious about the wonders of the world and get them excited about the more important things in life.
For example, when your child is looking for something to watch or asks you to let them play some games, guide them.
Choose something that will benefit them instead of just handing them the phone directly. Puzzle solving or a creative game can help them to use their brain and figure out the solutions themselves.
Get involved when they’re watching something, explain to them what’s happening and interact with your child to help them understand better.
It’s never a good idea to expose your child to content that’s not appropriate for their group. Good content can have positive impacts on helping them to develop many skills.
Choose something that will enhance healthy behavior and will also educate them at the same time. There are shows for kids that teach numbers and everything about good manners and etc.
You can share screens to supervise what they’re watching, help them to understand the concepts, and spend some quality time together all at the same time.
Being involved with your child from a very early age can help develop important skills. These will help your child to make good decisions when they’re old enough to choose preferred games and contents.
We have too many nieces and nephews who will only calm down when a smartphone has been placed in their hands. The only way to get them to eat or to calm them down is to distract them with the phone.
Not only is it unhealthy, but it’s also enabling them to develop a habit that’s making them be more dependant on these devices.
Social media can be very distracting. Spending too much time pondering over the lives of others is not really an ideal way of passing the time.
Kids are easy targets because they are automatically under pressure whenever they’re on these sites. It’s known to alter personalities, cause anxieties, and even known to pressurize to look or be in a certain way.
Social media can also influence children to copy or get into behaving negatively. Violent images, fake news can make them feel confused or influence them to more negative towards things than they normally are.
Help them to identify what’s wrong and what’s right. Make sure they understand what the message is about and to not get influenced by it!
Language, development and social skills can easily get hampered by spending too much time staring at a screen. Children need live interactions to understand human beings, their body languages, and extend their attention span.
Being socially awkward is a real thing now. I know too many people who have social anxiety and are too afraid to talk to people in real life.
Safety is also an important issue when it comes to being exposed to the internet. There are far too many people out there who think children are easy targets.
Not to mention dangerous materials and contents that are so easily accessible nowadays. Stealing personal information and photos are a common thing now.
Teach your child about being safe on the internet! It will save their life.
Television is another device that’s known to have an impact on children. Not controlling the time and letting your child watch TV for hours on end is not a good idea at all.
You won’t always be around to supervise what they’re watching, and being exposed to something harmful content for a long time can have a negative effect in the future.
More than two hours of TV for young children can inhibit social or physical activity. This can lead to obesity, diabetes, sleep deprivation, and short attention spans.
The same goes for teenagers and older kids as well. Watching too much TV can have long-lasting effects if not supervised properly.
The most important thing you can do for your child is to set a good example. If they see you using your own device for hours on end, chances are they will too.
Spend time with them, encourage them to read more books, go outside and play, and make some friends! Set a proper time when they can use their device and when they can’t.
Make family time an important time where you can talk to each other instead of staring at your phones. Be smart and sensible, set good examples and teach them to have a healthy attitude towards the internet.
They’ll grow up with a healthy and broad mindset!
