It is easy to conclude that our new breed is the ‘Digital Generation’. Our parents and the elders have self-proclaimed that using the new technology is important for all the children. Abroad, schools are promoting the use of tablets and gadgets to make ‘education’ easier for children. However, we have forgotten, where in the end; it leads us in the shape of consequences.
The excessive use of technology is making a race of psychotic generation; where running successfully in the Temple Run is more important than running on the actual track, and where bogus Minecraft replaces the creative Lego’s.
In the midst of education and the necessity of time, we have forgotten that the behaviour of children is deteriorating and they are becoming prone to tech-addiction. The ever-glowing screens of the Smartphones and tablets are a big ‘No’ in terms of mental health. When such sort of devices are forcefully taken away from the children they become aggressive, uninterested, and inattentive towards everything.
But, we are unaware of the fact that the digital drugs are capable of doing a lot more than we can think. A recent brain imaging research has shown that they affect the brain’s frontal cortex. Frontal Cortex controls executive functioning, including impulse control, in exactly the same way the cocaine does. Technology raises dopamine levels and is hyper-arousing.
Once children or anyone crosses the line of over-use, you can easily term them as addicts. As mentioned, it has threatening consequences. If your child is already addicted, you need to take all the tech stuff right away and explain them about the alarming consequences. Start designing their routine with healthy and physical exercises and activities. The healthy development of children requires social activities, sports, creative & imaginative plays, and an engagement with the real, natural world; and this is why you have to be vigilant with technology.
Its about time that we promote the use of actual sports rather than digital sports, story books rather than iPad or tablet tales, and Lego rather than Minecraft. There is a lot that can be added and the list would never end.
