Monday, 2 April 2012
Kids and technology seem to go hand in hand. When parents pick up the latest gadget or gizmo like an iPad, the kids are almost always going to get their hands on the device. According to AFP, parents need to monitor the tablet computer use of their children. The report mentions experts are warning parents to be on the watch for behavioral or learning problems that could stem from over-use of the machines. You have to worry for parents that needed any expert to tell them this.
A CNN report takes things a bit further to mention parents need to be involved in their children's use of technology. The dangers of the Internet are pretty well publicized. Everything from cyberbullying to predators is covered under some sort of news report on a somewhat regular basis, and parents need to take the warnings seriously. Parents should not need to be warned by experts that technology has good points and bad points.
One of the biggest problems is that parents have trouble keeping up with all the changes in technology. It reports that 77 percent of kids who use tablet computers primarily use the devices to download and play games, which is not exactly a shocking revelation. While the tablet computer battle might be a bit new, it is really just another version of the old Nintendo battle. Kids should not have their faces glued to their phones or their iPads for the entire day, but one thing the experts forget is that parents should not be glued to their devices either, because leading by example is just as important as monitoring use.
