In today’s industrial age, parenting can be a challenge. It seems like we cannot survive a day without the use of our phones or computers. But the good news is that you can teach your kids on how to use technology in a healthy way. There are many positives with technology and your child can definitely learn rapidly.
You can download educational apps on mobile phones. You may buy an inexpensive phone for your child so that they use it for educational purposes. From learning ABCD to solving more complex mathematics problems, the phone will prove its worth to your child. You can also help them if they have trouble with using the app. It would be wise to limit their screen time for a few hours because there is a big chance that they might get addicted to using technology. You could also encourage them to use apps for music and singing rhymes. There are applications for learning new languages as well. Regardless of what you want your child to learn and improve on, you would certainly find an app related to it.
In the 90s, technology was just emerging and parents were finding it hard to engage their kids. But today, there are many ways to engage your child. The whole world is at your child’s fingertips without the need to go out to a library or learn only at school.
If you have brought your child a Kindle or a mobile phone, it would be wise to monitor their actions. You can parent them and enforce some rules with how your child uses technology. It is common for parents to feel anxious about the number of distractions and digital screens that their children have access to. A new trend emerging called “parental control technology” could be useful for you. With this, you can decide upon the content and control the type of material available to your child, and also restrict their time spent on computers.
It would be best not to allow your child to use computers at a very young age, and it is recommended to allow them to use only a few apps on mobile phones. Some parents also avoid showing their children TV until their children are about 7 to 10 years old. Limiting screen time will be helpful for your children to focus on other more important things while they are at a growing age. Until technology is introduced to your child at school, it would be preferable to restrict it at home.
Once your child starts using technology more often as they grow older, you would need to talk to them about the basic rules. You would need to understand what kind of websites your child uses the most and what materials they view. It is easy for them to enter unsolicited pages and give out personal information too soon. It is your responsibility to sit with your child and tell them what websites they can or cannot use. Inform them about personal safety and viruses.
You need to explain the reasons for your rules and regulations so that they understand the message. One of the main reasons is because being online is not safe for them if they are not careful and using for the right reasons. You will also need to inform them about not talking to strangers online and entering chat groups.
Social media is usually not allowed for people until they are adults. It is vital that you restrict them from playing video games from a young age because research shows that it harms your children. You would need to constantly make sure that when your child uses technology, their activities are kept under watch by an adult.
These days, many children are learning how to code and advancing in technology early on. Although research shows that children learn technology faster than previous generations, parents need to be very careful to make sure that their child is being productive while using technology. You could introduce them to simple painting and colouring applications instead that would help them get creative while using computer-based applications.
If you install the software that your child has access to in school on your personal computer, you will give them a better chance to conduct their school assignments at home. Teaching them simple tricks such as typing and reading stories online would also be a good way to help them be productive at home. Too many parents do not oversee their children while they use technology, and far too many children have gotten their hands on iPhones and iPads without the need for them to have it. Research has shown that when parents do not use technology for educational reasons, it motivates their children to imitate them.
Your children will learn by observing you. Although you are an adult and you may have to use your phone and computer for many reasons, your children tend to mimic your every move. If you are not careful about how you use technology, particularly when your child is around, it would be tough for you. Make sure you do not provide email passwords or bank details to your children when using such websites. It would also be wise not to watch YouTube videos or adult content. If your child sees you constantly watching videos online, they will do the same.
You need to allow your children to watch cartoons and child-based television for entertainment. Many parents have reported that they do not understand the consequences of their actions around their child when using technology. Sometimes you might have to watch your favorite TV show only when your child is away at school or a birthday party. So you need to plan their activities until they reach a certain age.