WORKING A WAY OUT IN MY CHILD’S DIGITAL WORLD
I remember the first time I handed out my phone to my child to play a game that I’m sure we all remember- Temple Run. He was intrigued by how fun it was to play on my phone, and I was the one to explain to him how the game works. How the tables have turned- my son now keeps telling me about all the new developments and possibilities that the internet have bought along with it.
I wonder when the internet became such a crucial part of our lives that having the home wi-fi switched off for a few hours turns everything upside down. The digital age is something that comes new to us, but for our children-it’s something they are born into. Hence it’s about time we accept its existence and start to navigate our way around the world with internet, which we have already started to some extent
Encouraging moderate and modeled use of technology: Heads don’t turn to say no to technology in my house. Technology is here to stay (just like the increasing temperatures, seriously! What’s up with the heat?) and my son needs to know how to use it properly for a better future. But letting him use technology just for the sake of it would be fool’s gold. Teaching him how to use it responsibly, on the other hand, is the way forward. Children are impressionable and the internet cannot always be rosy. Issues related to pornography, cyberbullying, obesity, attention spans, verbal skills, etc. are for real and the aim should be at making children responsible enough to know on where to draw a line.
Adapt to connect: My friend, a mother of two, was complaining the other day about how her children use technology to connect with their cousins in another country stay busy on their phones the entire day and don’t spend enough time with her. It’s a concern that indeed many parents point out today- Is technology connecting us or moving us all further away? The solution to this lies in using technology to participate in activities with your children. Find shows that you both like and watch them in each other’s company. Take your child’s help to learn about the new apps and devices and welcome the endless possibilities that will come along.
Focus on the positives: It is normal to be caught up in wanting to be a parent who wants to know of their child’s activities on the internet but also does not want to invade their privacy. However, the want to do the latter would probably lessen if you encourage yourself and your child to focus on the positives of the internet. Look at how it is helping them connect and understand the world better or how it is full of learning opportunities. There is always a scope of persuading your child to do something meaningful on the internet. One distinctive value that I have taught my son is to not just be a consumer, but also a creator on the internet. This has led him and his friends to start a Facebook and Instagram page that helps them get donations for the treatment of stray animals in our area, proving that when guided in the right direction, children can use the internet to create some effective change.
A part of the reason why we struggle so much with this issue is probably because most of our parenting values come from our parents and that era was not as heavily influenced by technology as it is now. However, parenting is also about learning and constantly growing with our children, which means bending and changing according to time. It is probably time for us to shed all our self-doubts and fears on using these devices, understand the various platforms that the internet has to offer and make our children more comfortable in sharing their thoughts and problems with us. This does not mean that they should get a free-hand when it comes to technology. Have some fixed ‘no mobile phones’ hours and days every month. Let’s guide our children to become smart, critical users of the internet and confident humans of the digital world, by becoming one ourselves!
