When Should You Introduce Technology to Children?

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Medical Video: Introducing Technology to Young Children

Times are changing. We cannot reject changes in our lives, especially in terms of technological change. Yes, this technological change has affected many of our lives, including in the lives of children.

Surely you have heard, children aged 2 years can already play gadget. Eits ... but wait a minute, is it really good if a 2-year-old child can "hold on" gadget? Don't rush mom, not always technology is good for your child. It is best for mothers to be careful, wrong-wrong can have a negative impact on children's development.

When should children know technology?

During its development, children can easily imitate the behavior of those around them. Therefore, it is very easy for children today to get to know technology at an early age.

However, many studies do not advise parents to introduce children with technology, for example, at the age of children under 3 years. Instead, introducing computers to children at the age of 3 years is not the right choice to help develop and train children's skills. Children under the age of 3 are still developing their bodily functions, such as the functions of eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet, so that the use of computers is considered inappropriate. The best learning at this age is with real-world experience and interaction. So, inviting children to play with their friends is the right thing to stimulate children's development.

In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under 2 years old who have been introduced to television can cause delays in their language skills. Children under the age of 2 years do not have the cognitive ability to understand television and television shows can also interfere with communication time between parents and children.

Experts agree, if you should wait until preschoolers (around the age of 3 years and above) to introduce children to electronic media. At this age, children can be introduced to technology to help them learn. Educational content in electronic media can be a way to train children to develop their ideas and help provide images and sounds that can become children's learning media.

Research by Haugland in 1992 showed that children aged 3-4 years who had used computers to support their learning activities had a greater level of development than children who had no experience with computers. This level of development involves intelligence, verbal and nonverbal skills, structural knowledge, long-term memory, manual dexterity, problem solving, abstraction, and conceptual abilities.

The benefits that these children receive depend on the use of electronic media they usually do (for what they use it) and how often they use the media. Remember, parents must always keep an eye on their children when they use electronic media, such as computers, laptops, mobile phones and tablets.

How can parents accompany the use of technology by children?

Children who are able to press a button or watch videos on a computer, laptop, tablet, or cellphone do not mean that the child is ready to use electronic media. Children must get supervision when they are using electronic media.

An instructional technology supervisor at Manatee County School District, Florida, Jeannie Galindo suggested that the use of mobile phones or tablets by children in an unsupervised environment should only begin when children are 11 or 13 years old, as reported by the PBS Parents website.

The longer you give your cellphone to your child, the better. Because cellphones can become opium which can ultimately disrupt children's performance in school, or can even be an entry point for things that are not good for children. Children can easily access negative things that can affect their lives.

Parents are advised to always supervise and be involved when their children use electronic media. The aim is for children to receive a balanced exposure, with their parents and also with electronic media. Too much time for children with electronic media without parental supervision can reduce children's time with parents.

The involvement of parents when children use electronic media is also a way to help children learn. Parents can ask questions about the game application, show different aspects of the game content, show how to enter and exit the application, and so on. That way, parents also know the extent of the child's development.

In addition, limit also when children play with the device gadget-his. Galindo again recommends limiting as much as 30 minutes for children aged 4-5 years each time he sits together gadget-it is, while for children aged 6-7 years it is enough for one hour Parents also have to be smart in choosing educational game content for children according to their age, select applications with the appropriate age range for children (usually registered in the application).

What parents must remember is parents as an example for their children, as well as in terms of use gadget. If parents limit children to use gadget, it's better for yourself. Parents must be smart to share time with their children and when with children as much as possible should parents not hold gadget.

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When Should You Introduce Technology to Children?
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