The current generation of kids are a smart, precocious bunch. Owing perhaps to their wide-eyed curiosity, innate awareness, learning aptitude, pace of civilization/societal development and of course the influence of technology, these young ones display a greater sense of exposure at much tender ages than older generations.
According to the Research and Development Unit of Yudala, Nigeria’s fastest growing e-commerce company, the technology-mediated world we live in means that the current generation of kids get exposed to technology at a much younger age. Most proud parents waste no time in buying a smartphone or tablet for their young ones at very tender ages.
This is a major development which, in spite of all the benefits it holds in improving the learning abilities and technological awareness of kids, can also expose them to the dangers associated with technology.
Before taking the decision to expose your child to technology, here are five points worth considering.
Is your child ready?
The decision to buy your child a smartphone, tablet, laptop or any other tech gadget is one that requires careful thought.
Is that child mature enough to handle the responsibility of owning and using a smartphone, for instance, that is connected to the internet and the depth of content out there? While there is no right age to allow a child own a tech device, the maturity level and personality of the child matters.
For kids who are naturally reserved, early exposure to technology may provide a shell they can conveniently retreat into, inadvertently alienating parents and other family members. Worse still, there are loads of damaging materials out there on the internet that your child must be protected from.
Most parents or care-givers fail to realize that there is no going back once a child has been exposed to technology, especially through ownership of a smart device. A strong feeling of attachment or fascination is developed by the child for the device.
Coupled with the natural curiosity and inclination to explore inherent in kids, you will be doing more harm than good trying to block access to technology once a child has had a taste of it.
The foregoing shows how huge the entry decision is and why parents must consciously decide whether the time is right for their children.
Set the ground rules
Before you decide to allow your child own a tablet or smartphone, it is essential to lay down certain rules that will guide the use of the device.
This will involve some form of agreement on your expectations and the responsibilities that come with their ownership of the device. In addition to setting out times for usage other than answering and making calls or replying short messages, cyber concerns such as the dangers of meeting strangers online, cyber-bullying and the need for extreme caution when using social media should also be discussed.
Furthermore, conversations around the legal, moral and other damaging implications of inappropriate pictures and text, pornography and nudity must also be had in order to ensure that the child is not mislead online.
Research shows that it is also advisable to draw up a contract that will guide your child’s usage of a tech device. Punishments for irresponsible or wrong usage must also be clearly spelt out and the document signed off by both parties.
Among other things, this contract will grant the parent ownership of the device, specify access for the parent to all passwords and apps on the phone, indicate the hours the phone can be on and off and penalties to be applied if the rules are flouted.
Parental control is a must
One of the first things a parent should do before handing over a smart device to a child is to set up parental control apps.
There are several apps you can download and install on your child’s tablet, laptop or smartphone. These apps allow you keep track of everything your child is doing on the device while others provide instant alerts when inappropriate or high-risk words
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