How many hours should a kid stay in front of the computer?
For your child they will never be enough and for you always too many. How much time should a teenager spend on the internet and the computer?
It is a fact that new technologies invade our homes. And that our children were born in full swing of them. From a very young age they know what a mobile phone is , they know what text messages or WhatsApp are, they know how the internet works, or social networks.
They were born surrounded by computers , video game consoles , increasingly modern mobiles, tiny mp3 players, digital cameras … and a long etcetera. In fact, I myself tell my son to write the shopping list for me on the iPhone. And believe me, he does much better than me.
But from use to abuse there is only one step. And we must know the risks or side effects that abuse of new technologies can cause in our pre-adolescent children.
Index
HOW MANY HOURS PER DAY?
According to studies carried out, if a child spends two hours a day in front of the computer, they are acquiring a habit that will increase at an older age.
WE CANNOT ASK OUR CHILDREN FOR CONTROL IF WE DO NOT SET AN EXAMPLE
The ideal would be to reach a pact with our children, and explain to them why spending so many hours at the computer can be harmful.
THE BASIS IS IN EDUCATION?
If from a young age we agree to schedules with them, we reach agreements, and we show them different alternatives to new technologies, our children may also value other activities.
The accelerated pace of life that we lead, can sometimes sin of leaving children too much freedom in the use of new technologies. Maybe when we want to establish pacts, it is too late, and it becomes a conflict with them.
If our children see how we spend a lot of time in front of the computer, in hours outside of work, or with the mobile in hand all day … it will be difficult to tell them not to do it. For children imitate the attitudes and habits of their parents and closest relatives.
HARMFUL EFFECTS ON CHILDREN?
– Eyesight is affected.
– They tend to be more nervous children.
– Produces sedentary lifestyle .
– Headaches.
– Prone to being overweight.
– Prone to psychological illnesses.
NETWORK SECURITY?
Another aspect that we have to take into account is the security that we must have when using the internet. Although we limit their hours and reach agreements, for example using the computer for 30 minutes a day if they do not have homework, if during those 30 minutes they do not navigate safely, we can also find other very serious problems.
We must apply parental control to our child’s user, and we must warn them to be careful when interacting virtually with strangers, that many people fake another profile, and that they should not talk via chat, or emails with strangers, just like they would on the street.
It is preferable to respect the age when using social networks . As I have already mentioned on occasion, social networks are not for children, they will have time to use all the social networks in the world.
And if they use them, we must know who they have as friends , and that they are truly known people. It is very popular among young people to have 1000 friends on social networks, as they add to each other without knowing each other.
We must also help them to configure the privacy, for the photos, for the comments, so that they know that everything they post there is seen by many people. We must explain this well, and warn them that there are people who steal photos of children, or adolescents for dangerous purposes.
If we share with our children all kinds of information related to new technologies, if we speak to them clearly and set a good example, and help them find alternatives in sports, music, reading, etc., we will be able to reach agreements without generating any conflict.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.