Children And Technology: Pros And Cons Of The Digital World

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{This is a collaborative post}

It’s no secret that children today are growing up in a digital world. They are exposed to technology at an early age and use it in their everyday lives. While there are many advantages to this, there are also some disadvantages.

Technology has many faces, from television sets to computers to tablets to smartphones. It’s hard to avoid and even harder to limit. According to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, children ages 8-18 spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using entertainment media across a typical day. That’s more than 53 hours per week!

It’s no wonder that children are growing up with a lot of questions about technology.

Here are some pros and cons of the digital world:

PROS:

1. Access to information: The internet is a vast repository of knowledge. Children can use it to find information on any topic they’re interested in, whether for school projects or personal curiosity.

2. Improved communication: Technology has made communication easier and faster than ever before. Children can stay in touch with their friends and family members who live far away with the click of a button. They can also communicate with their peers more easily, which can help them form stronger relationships.

3. Enhanced learning opportunities: Thanks to technology, children have access to a world of educational resources at their fingertips. They can watch educational videos, play learning games, and read articles on any subject they’re interested in. This can help them learn more quickly and retain information more effectively.

4. Greater creativity: Technology provides children with the tools they need to be creative. They can use computers to design artwork, create music, and write stories. They can also share their creations with the world through social media and other online platforms.

5. Improved problem-solving skills: Technology requires children to think critically and solve problems in order to use them effectively. This helps them develop important problem-solving skills that they can use in other areas of their lives.

6. Increased motivation: The use of technology can be motivating for children. They can stay engaged in their learning and get immediate feedback on their progress. This can lead to improved academic performance and a greater love of learning.

7. Preparation for the future: Technology is becoming increasingly important in the workforce. With exposure to and use of technology, children are better prepared for jobs that will require these skills.

Getting To Grips With Everyday Technology

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{This is a collaborative post}

If you find that you frequently struggle to understand what you are meant to do with the technology in your life, you are not alone. A lot of people feel this way, and, likely, it will only continue to get more and more confusing and frustrating as time goes on and technology becomes more and more advanced. Of course, there is plenty that you can do to ensure that you understand it better and that you are getting to grips with it better, so that is a good thing to bear in mind. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the essential things you can do to make this process a lot easier, so that much of your life is going to be a lot easier too. Let’s take a look at this in some detail.

Simplifying Your Usage

First of all, you should bear in mind that you only have to use technology to the degree that you want to. You should not feel as though you have to use it any more than that. If you force yourself to do that, you will only end up being more stressed, and that is not the direction we want to be moving in here. So the first thing to do is to look at the technology you use in your life every day, and ask yourself whether it might be necessary or whether you might be able to do away with it instead.

If you can apply this kind of rigorous vision to all the technology in your home, you will already find that your usage of technology is much simpler indeed. So that is something to be aware of - and likewise, you should make sure that you are not over-complicating things by trying to use as much technology as possible. If you can do that, you will find that technology becomes much less stressful over time.

Weddings And Technology: A Match Made In Heaven

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

{This is a collaborative post}

Technology has an uncanny ability to transform our lives in ways that we never expected. Who would have thought that we'd all be glued to small, handheld computer screens checking status updates twenty years ago?

But the world of tech isn't just affecting our work and social lives; it's also having an outsized impact on weddings too. The modern wedding just wouldn't be complete without the use of tech.
Technologies make the whole process so much easier. Here's why weddings and tech are a match made in heaven.

Say Goodbye To Paper Cuts

Preparing wedding invitations used to be an unbelievably drawn out process. You had not only to find somebody to print out all the cards, but you also had to deliver them by hand to the post office, and pay a small fortune for the privilege.

Now, though, there's an app for that. All of a sudden the vast machinery of the postal service is redundant: with a simple click of a button, you can import your contact list, filter the people invited to your wedding and click "send." Then all that's left to do is wait for the RSVP - no more dealing with lost replies in the post.

Stop Searching For Wedding Entertainment

Finding a great entertainer was a challenge in the past. Most couples relied on local ads or the recommendations of their friends. But today, it's easier than ever. This awesome website, for instance, categorises entertainment options by type, including for weddings. These platforms let you browse your options, read reviews, and then pay for the band you want online. It's about as easy as using Airbnb.

12 Ways to get your Teen off their Tech this Christmas Break

Teen with Mobile Image courtesy of Shutterstock

In 2017 I think most parents of teenagers are suffering from the same thing. Deaf ears. My son doesn't hear a word I say when he has his headphones on and is in the virtual world of game play with his mates online. Manage to get him offline and he'll wander downstairs grunt a hello and grab his phone from his pocket and be at it again. Sound familiar? Yes, I thought so but fear not as I have some great ideas for you to help get your teen off their devices for at least part of the Christmas holiday.

I wouldn't recommend a full tech-free fortnight though as I think we need to be realistic as parents and nowadays our teens very much live in the digital world. Some online time is fine, that's how many of them stay connected to their friends when there isn't any school but we know that a full-day online is too much and they will just end up withdrawing even more than usual. A good balance is what we're after.

You might find it a little hard to implement changes if you've never restricted your teens tech access before but perseverance and open conversations go a very long way. Make sure you share your concerns about excess screen time with your child so they know why you are doing this and be willing to limit your own time online too, so you are setting a good example.

Try to give your teen the choice of what tasks they want to do instead of dictating to them as they will buy in to it more if they feel they have choices. I always find that once my son gets in to other tasks and puts his tech down he actually ends up enjoying them and starts self-regulating himself on his tech anyway.

Parenting a Digital Native - How Hard Can it Be?

Hmm yum. A latte, a brownie and just starting a new book. 'Left to their own devices - confident parenting in a world of screens' written by Katharine Hill, Director of Care for the Family

A post shared by Michelle Pannell (@michelletwinmum) on Jun 26, 2017 at 3:11am PDT

I know it's often said that parents nowadays are living in an totally different world to their own parents or grandparents but I really feel it is true. As a child of the 70’s and 80’s there wasn't any such thing as the internet or email, I played with my dolls, drew and coloured and made believe in the street with my neighbours. Now my children meet their friends in virtual chat rooms on discord and challenge each other to jump subway trains (on a screen of course).

It really is interesting parenting in this evolving time and I am thankful that I work as a blogger and as such am very savvy when it comes to tech generally and more specifically social media, but you can't become complacent as that is when something falls under the radar.

I started my first blog back in 2008 and as such opened social media accounts right at the start of their growth. This means that when my eldest child wanted to get online and join various platforms that I was knowledgeable and able to work with him to ensure that the right safe guards were in place.

Don't think it has all been plain sailing though, there have been times when we’ve had to have some serious chats with my son about sites he has visited or things he has said but we've only been able to do that as he has known from the start we would have his passwords and access to any gadgets he has. Then impromptu visits and a glance through his history and such have meant we feel sure he is playing safe.