Younger kids are learning more about technology either to get them prepared for school or to keep them busy. Parenthood is not a small task, and it could be alluring to give your child a phone or tablet to settle them down to get things done. Fear not – every parent does that! However, this persistent reliance on technology leads to some worrying problems with people’s physical, intellectual, interpersonal, and safety well-being.
Shorter attention spans, health problems, and poor sleeping patterns are just a few of the negative consequences of technology on kids. Let’s examine the situation more closely.
11 Alarming Effects of Excessive Technology Use on Children
1: Addiction
The first and most obvious impact of using technology on the young generation is addiction. The use of technology has become a part of our lives, to the extent that we are addicted to it. We cannot live without it, so there is no escaping from its influence on our life.
2: Lowers Interpersonal Communication Skills
The second effect is how it has changed the way we communicate with each other. For example, text messaging has replaced calling someone on the phone or even writing them a letter. This change has led to a decline in interpersonal communication skills among teenagers who are still learning how to be more mature in their communication skills.
3: Lack of Attention Span
It has been observed that children today are more preoccupied with their gadgets than with their schoolwork or sports activities. They spend most of their time on their devices instead of concentrating properly on other things which can help them in the future.
4: Increased Aggressiveness
We are all aware of how much more imaginative youngsters are than adults. They are therefore more susceptible to the information they encounter.
They may become angry kids if they watch or play violent video games or other media. It is important to provide children with internet safety so that negative feelings don’t fester.
5: Promotes Inactive Lifestyle
One of the downsides of a world full of devices is this. Children who spend a lot of time browsing and playing video games are less likely to engage in physical activity.
6: Health Issues
Technology has harmful effects on kids that go beyond psychological and emotional issues. The following negative effects of technology on child psychology may happen as a result of prolonged TV viewing, incorrect seating while using a laptop or tablet, etc.
- Vision Issues
- Spine ache
- Deformation of the body’s skeletal system
- Fingers, palm, and shoulder soreness
7: Being Continuously Connected Keeps You Stressed
One of technology’s unfavorable side effects is that it keeps us hooked all the time. When we awaken, we go for our phone or other electronic gadgets right away.
Our technological device is frequently the last thing we view before falling asleep. All of this causes our lives to become even more stressful and anxious.
8: Obesity/ Over-Weight Issues
Your kids tend to be less energetic unless they properly use digital resources. As the amount of time spent sedentary increases, more children are confronted with the obesity issue, which often leads to serious problems.
The parents may have a hard time recognizing this because the weight problem doesn’t surface right away. One of the most significant harmful consequences of the internet on children is the likelihood of obesity. Remember that the disorder is referred to as the obesity issue in the modern era.
9: Disconnected
Our dependence on technology might make us feel lonely. A significant lack of social connection can even cause sadness. We could even feel cut off from humankind when most of our contact with everyone takes place online.
10: Access to Adult Contents and Potential Hazards
The most worrying effect of youngsters using technology unattended is this. Due to the prevalence of explicit content online, youngsters who have unrestricted internet access will inevitably be exposed. The majority of the websites that do this don’t include any kind of age restrictions, so children can readily access them. Furthermore, it is simple for malevolent users to trick kids into sharing explicit photographs of themselves online.
11: Emotional Issues
Children who devote more time online are more likely to develop emotional and behavioral issues. The excessive use of technology by your kids may impede their emotional growth. Even if you intend to intervene when you notice it, they may be hostile or completely shut down. It’s best to seek professional assistance in these instances.
Conclusion
Since technology is here to stay, we must discover ways to make it work for our kids. Address your child’s online health and security. While by all measures, keep an eye out for opportunities to use technology to help them expand and enhance their talents not exploit them.