Unquestionably, tech is present in all aspects of our lives. Thus, we cannot completely ban our kids from using it. As it is a highly tech-driven world, we, as parents, have the responsibility to teach them how to use it in the right way. You should keep some things in mind when it comes to parenting and using tech. Keep reading to learn more about tech and raising children.
When it comes to tech and raising kids, the most important thing is to find balance. There should be some tech, but there should also be tech-free time. That starts with you being a good role model. You should also teach your kids about tech the same way you do about other things. Additionally, it’s quintessential to set limits related to tech use. Moreover, you should also encourage tech-free play and screen the content children watch. You could also enjoy tech together as a family. Lastly, you shouldn’t forget to teach your children about potential online threats and prepare them for the real world.
1. Try to find a balance
One of the most important things when it comes to raising kids and using technology is to try to find a balance. As we already mentioned, we cannot completely prevent our kids from using tech, and we shouldn’t. Instead, we need to teach them how to use it smartly. Technology has brought us many benefits, but there can also be some drawbacks. You should definitely avoid giving your newborn a phone and using it as an emotional pacifier. That is not a really good approach, and the chances are that children won’t be understanding about the importance of balance in using technology. You should introduce tech slowly into their lives, with age-appropriate content and time limitations.
2. Be a good role model
It will be difficult to achieve a balance in using tech with your kids if you don’t have a balance. Children observe how their parents behave, and they copy their behaviour. So, you can’t expect your kids to have balance when they see you constantly on your phone. If you have bad habits and use your phone or social media a lot, perhaps it’s time you changed that. Start with yourself and then show your kids how they should be using technology. Read more blogs online on how much tech is recommended for children of various ages, and also use your own sense to create some ground rules when it comes to using tech.
3. Teach your kids about tech
As tech has been omnipresent in our lives for some time now, we can conclude that tech is yet another area in our lives that we should teach our kids about. We just need to be aware of this to be able to share our knowledge with our kids. There are probably some blogs online that speak about this topic in more detail. If your kids attend a childcare centre, they probably already have some experience using tech smartly.
When it comes to young children and child care centres, they use tech to teach children about certain habits, such as morning routines, the importance of washing hands and how to brush their teeth, with some short videos featuring other kids. They also use tech to play some cartoons and teach songs or dance moves. Moreover, tech is used for learning vocabulary and sounds on smart boards. Tech has many great uses.
4. Set limits
Even though tech has got many great uses, there should be some limits. Children can’t set limits for themselves at a young age, and they need you, as their parents, to do that. Media use, just like everything else, should come with certain limits. Using tech is not the only way to have fun – and when children get hooked on using it from an early age, it’s difficult for them to understand it. That’s why setting these limitations right from the beginning, and encouraging tech-free play is essential. Only in this way will children be able to learn to play on their own, without tech.
5. Encourage tech-free play
As we briefly mentioned in the previous paragraph, it is quintessential to encourage tech-free play along with using tech. Free play is crucial for several reasons. First, it teaches children to be creative and use their imagination. It also teaches them to be independent and self-sufficient, which are essential life skills. Before learning to use technology, children should learn to play independently and with other children. They really get some valuable skills throughout this kind of play. Only when children have learned to play on their own can you introduce tech to them.
6. Screen the content kids watch
When you introduce tech to children, it’s essential to be mindful of how they use it. This is yet another aspect you should teach them: how to use tech smartly and efficiently. For starters, you should screen the content your kids watch – they should watch only the things you approve. That doesn’t mean that all content should be strictly educational – it can also be fun and entertaining as long as it doesn’t send some wrong messages. You should also find some great age-appropriate apps for them as well as games. Children can also develop various skills through these, such as problem-solving skills, logic and speed.
7. Use tech together as a family
Tech doesn’t always have to be used by each person individually – you can also use it together as a family. You can watch a movie or a cartoon together. You can also even play games together as a family. It’s essential to make tech an important part of family affairs. You get two things: you bond with your family and teach your children to use tech in different ways.
8. Teach children about potential online threats
Cybersecurity is another thing that shouldn’t slip your mind when it comes to parenting. You should talk to your children and warn them about different potential online threats. You should teach them about cybersecurity in the same way you do about safety in life and things such as not talking to strangers, not opening doors to strangers, not taking candy from people they don’t know, as well as not accepting rides from strangers.
Teaching kids about the proper use of tech is essential, and we should approach it rather seriously if we want to prepare our kids for the real world.