Introducing your kids to Technology

Yup, it's 2013, when most preschoolers don't know how to tie their shoelaces but they can understand—as if by osmosis, how to use the latest electronic gadget. For the kids of today tablets, mobile phones, cameras, laptops, computers, etc. are a way of life. They are as comfortable with these gadgets as they are with balls, bats, dolls, cars, swings & slides (at times even more).

We see these gadgets being more & more embedded in our children’s lives, as a matter of fact parents now, have a set of new concerns & doubts apart from the usual parenting ones. When do you start teaching kids about technology? How do you introduce them to new gadgets? How can technology help them learn? Just like all other topics, this too has varied opinions, but at the end of the day it depends on YOU to decide what is best for your child.

The following tips might come handy while you ponder:

1. Gadgets are not bad as long as they're used occasionally and in moderation but don't be reliant on one as a teacher for your child. 
2. Learning devices use a high level of excitement to keep the child interested. You might find that exciting, you should know that increased use of these gadgets do hamper the concentration power of our little ones.
3. Try and offer a good balance of different media (reading, drawing, cooking and measuring, field trips, crafts, experiments, real puzzles etc.) to learn from. Online educational games for 30-45 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week are more than enough. 
4. Certain researches strongly suggest that increased use of gadgets might contribute to an increase ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). This is because the usage of gadgets require a different kind of interaction in the brain compared to traditional activities. This is however not confirmed yet.
5. Supervised usage is what a parent should look at. A gadget given to a child should not be an alternative for a parent’s time for his/her child. 
6. Studies reveal that screen gizmos might cause slight discomfort and strain to your eyes. Experts say there is a considerable increase in vision problems of children. The average age of children facing these problems becoming lesser and lesser. High use of these gadgets might lead to vision loss.

It’s up to you as parents to teach young minds to be responsible users as well. Our young children will imitate us, hence even we should make sure we set a good example.

At the end, Momsters leaves you with some Trivia: 

According to a study, nearly 25% parents have given their kid a gadget to keep them busy while they take care of business. Nearly 40% of kids aged eight and under have used tablets or smart-phones in some capacity. And tablet usage by kids aged 12 and under rose nearly 10 percent from last year.