Wired? Yes. Wiser? No
The fast-changing gizmo
world is charming the younger generation. This is a cause of concern
and anxiety for parents, caregivers, educationists and psychologists.
Questions like how much is enough, when is the right time to introduce
the devices, how to strike a balance and avoid extremes, keep lurking
in everyones minds
Vibha Sharma
Change is definitely the
one thing that is constant in life. That is precisely what we all are
witnessing, thanks to quantum leaps that information and technology
are making to pervade every sphere of our lives. The past couple of
decades have been so IT bound that it is no exaggeration to say that
the timeline would show a clear demarcation of era before Google and
the one post it.
Tech gadgets like
laptops, tablets, iPads, smartphones et al are present everywhere and
it appears that there is some device in every pair of hands or stuck
to the ears. Yes, this is the reality of todays world. The
fast-changing gizmo world is spelling its charm the most on the
younger generation and this is a big cause of concern and anxiety for
parents, caregivers, educationists and psychologists.
Questions like "How
much is enough, when is the right time to introduce the devices, how
to strike a balance, how to avoid extremes", keep lurking in the
minds of all the above mentioned when it comes to technological
gadgets and children.
The fact is there is no
precedence of having seen the outcome of technology on growing
children. So it is hard to predict how todays children, coexisting
with technology, would grow up to be.
Perhaps the wired world
would hardwire the brains of children quite differently as compared to
the previous generations. It is possible that the children now may not
need to remember a lot of things when they can just remember where to
find that information from.
There is no denying the
fact that kids these days are busy learning net etiquette, while the
real-world etiquette is found missing. We often see people glued to
their virtual world through a variety of gadgets, unmindful of the
"I-dont-care" signal that emanates from them in the real
world. Often, the extended hours that children spend in front of one
screen or the other are causing adverse effects on their physical and
mental health. New problems like Facebook depression, internet-use
disorder are plaguing the younger generation when they start to
lose interest and touch with the real-world and reality.
Studies reveal that the
addiction of these electronic gadgets is such that children as young
as five tend to be aggressive, irritable and hostile when deprived of
their iPads/laptops/tabs. Psychologists point out that video game and
internet addictions share the characteristics of other addictions,
including emotional shutdown, the lack of concentration and withdrawal
symptoms if the gadgets are removed. `A0`A0
A students
perspective
Vaishali Sethi, a
student of Business Studies (University of Delhi), shares her views on
technology and studies. When asked if tech gadgets pose a big
distraction in the study routine, she says, "I think the term necessary`A0evil
is tailor-made for this situation. In todays times, it will be
absolutely`A0inappropriate`A0to overlook the merits of technology.
Finding information on Google on a tiny smartphone is any day much
easier than fishing for the same in some old year-book. Whatsaap-ing
is better than snail mail, email and even SMS. Technology has its own
merits. But it wont be wrong to put forth the`A0argument`A0that
these gadgets are actually a big distraction in the study routine
of`A0adolescents`A0nowadays. The applications on these gadgets are so
addictive, people are constantly tap-taping, punching letters on their
mobile devices."
On the issue of tech
influence on the social and psychological behaviour of children, she
says: "That is the biggest casualty. Earlier, kids would run out
to play, now they simply sit on the`A0couch with their gaming consoles
or tablets. Gaming has entered the study rooms. Studies
have`A0entered`A0the bathrooms. Parents and teachers have become friends.
We have friends everywhere, but no one to share your real thoughts
with". And suddenly, very suddenly, the children who were
supposed to be`A0innocence personified, are no longer so. They know
more than what is age-appropriate. They talk everything. And this is
not healthy. But technology can be God if used appropriately.
Unlimited knowledge. Unlimited fun. On-the-go access. Unlimited
connectivity. Easy access to almost all information resources. What
else can one ask for? (except for the wisdom to use it to our
advantage).
Wired or the tired
generation?
Kirthi Kamath, an MPhil
in Clinical Psychology (NIMHANS), is currently working as consultant
Clinical Child Psychology in Shree Brain and Spine Clinic, Bangalore.
Her special area of
interest is child and adolescent mental health. She says, "With
increasing gadget usage, children tend to have limited social
interaction and personal contact with others. Outdoor games have been
replaced with cartoons and computer games. Children tend to sit and do
most activities in front of the T.V. In such cases, the incidence of
obesity can be high because of a sedentary lifestyle. Another area of
concern is that children do not want to read and their language skills
get adversely impacted."
Kirthi is not completely
averse to technology either and adds, "Certain TV programmes are
educational and children do gain from the same. Certain characters
have strong personalities and these do have a positive effect on the
child. The iPad is an excellent learning tool if used wisely."
Some international schools are using them to facilitate learning.
Technology is going to advance and we have to keep pace and our
children will be exposed to this. Parents can empower them to use the
same to the best of their abilities and not abuse the same. Experts
feel that rather than deprive the child of
tech toys, their usage and exposure should be supervised and monitored
by caregivers and parents.
What you can do
-
There is no
point wishing away the fact that todays children are growing
up with technology and smart devices. -
They are smart
learners of all aspects of tech toys, much more than their
previous generations could ever be. -
They need to be
taught how to be smart users of technology and how to turn it
into an asset rather than to make it a cause of debacle in the
long run. -
Parents, beware
of "A-tablet-a-day- keeps-the-nanny-away" syndrome. -
Be your childs
role model. If it is hard for you to keep your hands and eyes
off any screen, dont expect your child to behave otherwise. -
Spend exclusive
time with children, but without any screen in between. -
Encourage the
children to play with their friends and to take up sports. -
Participate
actively in organising family outings and outdoor activities
with children. -
Teach them that
gadgets are tools to empower us not to overpower us.
Anupama Patri is a
trained Montessori teacher, who has worked in Bangalore for many
years. She is clearly not in favour of exposing young children
to the world of gadgets too early. "In my experience as a
teacher and as a mother all these educational gadgets for young
children are mere marketing expressions. Children need to
explore their surroundings and their environment with the help
of their senses. How can one expedite this process by offering
some equipment which does a whole bunch of things by just the
press of a button?"
When asked about
the impact that the tech gadgets have on the behaviour of young
children, she explains, "In the natural world there is
always cause and effect e.g. To move objects with different
densities we need to exert varying amounts of pressure on them.
This is best understood through the real live experiences. When
children are exposed to a lot of screen time, they are unable to
differentiate between reality and fantasy. This could impact
their learning. Moreover, electronic media is very addictive.
What starts off as a baby sitting aid ends up becoming the main
stake." For those confused on where to draw the line, she
shares Dr. Maria Montessoris quote: "Never give more to
the brain than we give to the hand."