By Claudette Anderson, Prescription for Success
For today’s youth, technology involvement with smart phones, iPods, video games and Internet is an integral part of their life. The average teen sends more than 50 texts a day; younger children spend over 10 hours a week playing video games; and the amount of time all kids spend online daily has tripled in the past 10 years. 51% of American teens log on to a social network site more than once a day. 22% of American teens log on more than 10 times a day, according to Common Sense Media.
How does this activity affect our kids’ social and intellectual development? Research shows us:
· The nature of children’s relationships to each, to their families and to the world around them is changing.
· Our youths’ brains may even be rewired.
· Social media sites like Facebook, as well as texting, can lead to cyber-bullying.
· The biggest behavioral change that is being experienced is a preference for texting over talking. Kids 11-14 spend an average of 73 minutes a day texting and older teens spend close to 2 hours. This may be an addiction because dopamine cells in the brain have been shown to fire up. This neurotransmitter is associated with pleasure feelings.
· With little talking on the phone, experts worry that communication skills that are needed in life-how to converse, read cues from vocal intonations, and even how to negotiate-are not being developed in today’s society.
· 67% of parents say texting is hurting their kids’ school performance.
· Another danger is that children may never learn how to be content spending time on their own, which is crucial for healthy psychological development. If you don’t learn to be alone, you will only know how to be lonely. Parents who constantly text their children add to the problems.
· 92% of kids ages 8-18 play video games and 8.5% can be classified as addicted. 12% of boys and 3% of girls who play will get addicted. Increased playing of video games is related to poorer school performance.
In conclusion, moderation is the key for our youths’ technological involvement and parent’s guidance is a critical part of the solution, too.
