There are few studies on the effects of computers and television on children. But there are so many opinions that balance between two statements: “Let him sit at the computer. Everyone does it, and it’s normal! â€, And others:“ Gadgets are very dangerous, they destroy the brain â€. Let’s look at the possible dangers and find out if you need to worry.
What is the problem?
Lack of sensory development
Usually, we enjoy developing toys on the tablet. The kid is actively dragging the red squares in one direction, and the green circles in the other, drawing, running his finger on the glass or making hairstyles to virtual pupae. The triumph of logic and creativity.
In fact, it would be much more valuable for the brain to give the child a real sorter, a doll with tousled hair, and a real wooden pencil with paper. The brain of the child needs a multisensory environment, with a wealth of tactile sensations: he draws and feels the structure of the paper; he hears her rustling, feels that if you press the felt-tip pen harder, you can make a hole in the paper and draw on the floor.
The guys who collect “Lego” in the tablet, lose a lot of positions in terms of development. Neuropsychiatrist and MD Theo Compernolle in his book “The Brain Freed†seriously argues on this.
Delayed skill development
Dr. Compernolle argues that the serious problem of a child with gadgets is not what he does, but what he does not do: he does not use subtle hand-eye coordination (which would have been necessary if he had tied his shoelaces), did not play, did not fantasize , does not learn to speak and express emotions.
The fact that there is a link between delayed speech development and gadgets, experts have been saying for a long time. American researcher Dimitri Christakis published unexpected research results. According to these results, children who watched Baby Einstein tutorials learned fewer words at the same time than children who didn’t watch the training programs. This is not surprising: if we do not apply a skill, it starts to degrade. A child who is brought up by blinking screens, in ways of expressing emotions, will lose to a friend who spent time in the company of a deaf-mute nanny.
Child immobility
Usually, children do not run around the room while watching a cartoon, the kid who is carried away by the film sits patiently in one place; he forgets that he likes to run down the street. The child is safe, the child always sits still.
Now there is smartwatch for kids that allow you to monitor your child. Examples of such watches can be found on FindTheDecision.
But despite this useful device, the popularity of computer tablets that a child uses in airplanes, in queues at a clinic or in traffic jams is increasing worldwide. It seems to us that one hour of viewing will not change anything.
However, American scientists argue that this is not the case. They did a study involving 11,000 kindergarteners, and they say with confidence that all children who watch TV at least an hour a day are more likely to be overweight than their comrades who spend less than an hour at the monitor.
Poor development of willpower and creative skills
Cartoons and a fun game with jumping frogs do not require any concentration efforts from the child. Even the opposite – you need to make an effort to break away from the screen. Almost all of the video: loud sounds, bright colors, changing angles, increased emotions – are needed to hold attention.
We unconsciously turn our heads in the direction of the TV and “look intently†at it: the illustrative reflex works. We, the parents, of course, are not very happy that the child is sitting with some kind of incomprehensible reflex. We want children to do creative work, play, fantasize, create. But there may be difficulties.
Some experts, such as the German scientist Rainer Patslav, believe that cartoons filled with ready-made images prevent kids from creating their own. Instead of a scaly lizard with blue teeth, the child draws you a regular Homer Simpson a hundred times. The child does not want to create – thanks, he is already “fed up” with someone else’s creativity.
Doubtful standards
Most parents live surrounded by devilish creatures: plush Angry Birds, families of beautiful pink-sequined ponies and endless copies of Spider-man. Children’s video production is made so as to be clear, flat and a little bright, this was seen by any person who was looking for an application for a child in the tablet. To find pearl grains in a pile of garbage, you need to spend a lot of time.
What to do?
A professional psychologist helped us write tips that will help children learn technologies without harming themselves.
In the interaction of gadgets and children, the duration of use is important, as well as the age of the child.
There are recommendations. For example, experts suggest that children under three years of age should ban to admire the technique, from three to seven years of age – to look at the screen up to half an hour a day, and not to use tablets longer than 50 minutes at a younger school age. For many, these norms will not be very real, but still they must be approached.
Until preschool age, gadgets are best removed on the top shelf. Then you need to make restrictions, control their use and negotiate the rules. Talk with your child about what exactly he does in the computer: using it for self-development, or without meaning follows advertising and entertainment.
Watch the content: it can be different, but it should always be of high quality.
Play yourself a child’s game, study it, read reviews or discuss on the forum. This will bring you closer to the child, you will understand that he found in this dungeon, in addition to the magic mantle, and he will stop looking at you like a dinosaur.
Teach children to think consistently and focus their attention. Dangerous Pokemon should not distract the kid from the assembly of turrets from the cubes. Three burning screens in the same room will prevent the child from finishing the top platform for the helicopter. Multitasking mode is not a plus of a new civilization, but only a state of scattered attention, in which school homework is likely to fail.
