How to educate children in the digital age
At present, children since they are very young have access to smartphones, tablets and computers. They see their parents work with them, and they are used to using them since early childhood. The children and adolescents born from the year 1990 onwards form the age of digital children. They are char
At present, children since they are very young have access to smartphones, tablets and computers. They see their parents work with them, and they are used to using them since early childhood.
The children and adolescents born from the year 1990 onwards form the age of digital children. They are characterized by rapidly assimilating the use of new technologies such as the internet, video games, mobile phones, etc. How can we educate those in the digital age? In a world that changes so quickly?
Educate our children in the era of digital children
Children in the digital age are influenced by new technologies when it comes to consuming and developing their way of thinking and understanding the world. Some statistics and studies show us that:
- At 2 years old, 40% of children already easily use their mobile or tablet to play, see their favorite cartoon series, songs, etc.
- At 8 years, 72% perfectly handle the new technology.
- Between 10-15 years the number of users of new technologies amounts to 80%. The teenagers use the mobile phone a minimum of 3 hours a day, not to call themselves but to communicate through WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, mail, etc.
Therefore, they are children who are growing up in a digital world and it is important to help them learn healthy concepts of digital use. It is parents who play a very important role in teaching these skills
Guidelines for educating children in the digital age
The family is what facilitates the learning models children need to acquire the skills and abilities to manage in life. From birth to adolescence, children observe, imitate and repeat the actions of adults in their environment. Therefore, if the attitude of parents is:
- Prohibitive, they make children see new technologies as unhelpful and harmful tools.
- Permissive, and not responsible in its use. Parents will not help to learn how to use them responsibly as they do not set standards or desirable limits.
The role of parents should be to accompany and take control of the technology. That is, have an active attitude with which to set standards and limits in which the child can move (not prohibit)
New technologies give many opportunities and benefits if parents, with the help of the school, help children in an active way to use them. With its good use, the development of skills such as creativity, communication or reasoning is favored, as well as being a great support for cooperative learning. To achieve this we give you some tips:
- Understand that if for adults it is important to be communicated and relate to others, this need is greater for children. The parents have to be attentive since the kids may have problems due to their level of maturity or a possible inexperience in the use of the technologies.
- To avoid insecurity, parents should comment that they should not provide personal information, send photos or establish relationships with strangers. Exp - Explain that the comments they write should be
respectful towards other people. - Parents should be "up to date with the advances in technology" and be an example of their use.
- Make it clear to the children that when they are studying they must remain disconnected so that their concentration does not decrease. Se - You can set a schedule
of use since you are small. - Inform them that they must access those
contents that are allowed for their age. - Use the devices
in a place visible to the adult . Que - That the children have all the "Tasks" finished before they can be used.
Thanks to these tips it will be easier for parents to establish habits, rules of use and select the most appropriate content in the use of new technologies by their children.
