We live in the age of technology. There are many objects in our homes and workplaces that increase our comfort and save time. The computer is one of them, even the leading one in recent years. Desktop, laptop, palm, then this seductive object has finally settled on mobile phones. Thanks to this technology, which we can now carry with us, many home computers have become rich, some of them are no different from internet cafes.
Today, when computers are so common, it is inevitable for our children to be surrounded by this magical machine. Thanks to its simplified technology, even small children can use it comfortably.
When it comes to children in the developmental age; All parents rightly want their children to benefit from this technology at the maximum level, and they also want them not to suffer from possible drawbacks.
Computers are used for three main purposes today:
For gaming and entertainment.
For his contribution to education in school and work settings.
In the friendship environment, for social communication purposes.
A multinational study shows that Turkish families love this technology, that thirty-five percent of children in our country use it for entertainment and games, 28 percent for education and school purposes, and 16 percent for communication purposes.
Of course, computer use has great advantages for children. One time; It provides access to all kinds of information in a short time. If the advantages of internet content are added, they can also benefit from their school assignments. The encyclopedias of the past have been replaced by today’s search engines, but they are faster and more effortless. Computers are also an important leisure time activity. Because; The time pressure created by the intense pace of schooling does not leave many entertainment options for children. It is also a pleasant object for working parents to keep the child away from the threatening of the street.
Dealing with computers enables the child to meet technology at an early age and to adapt to more advanced technologies easily.
Also; Studies have shown that computer use supports the development of children in many areas such as mental development, verbal and non-verbal skills, long-term memory, sense of curiosity, problem solving, abstraction, conceptual thinking, motor skills, creativity, critical thinking, language development, awareness, etc.
Computers appeal to different needs of different age groups in terms of the content they offer. For example; Cognitive and motor skills of children younger than 6 are relatively limited; Even if they are used to using computers at an early age, all they can do is open / load / close files, use keys, etc. simple actions. The sense of competitiveness and superiority unique to school-age children is an element that increases the interest in computer games. Still; Internet-specific friendship and social networking sites are also an opportunity environment for adolescents who are distant from their families but fond of their peers. In addition, computers have a significant place in the career planning of adolescents.
The widespread use of computers in the world; Of course, it also brought problems arising from its uncontrolled and excessive use. With the spread of the Internet, all environments in the virtual world are open to everyone (including children) without limits. This situation is rightly alarming to all parents. Because at this point, the risks of the computer come to the fore, not the benefits.
What risks could there be for children:
Biggest risk; The fact that the computer overtakes responsibilities and overturns the child’s time management is the biggest reason for discussion in families. Because at some point, even the child’s feeding and sleep may be disrupted.
Children and sometimes other family members spending a long time on the computer increases individualism within the family, reduces shared time, and impairs healthy communication.
Harmful content that the child is exposed to in the computer and internet environment also poses a risk for his/her development. Because; The child, who learns through imitation, experimentation and identification, has the possibility of adopting stimuli such as violence, sexuality, bullying, slang, etc. and adding them to his daily life.
Child who can wander around the whole virtual world uncontrollably; may encounter a site (for example, pornographic, political, violent, gambling) the meaning of which he does not understand. This can create fear in the child. Children who witness a pornographic image on the screen and experience nightmares for days, and sometimes, on the contrary, share it with their peers and cause minor crises, appear in our clinical practice from time to time.
In the last ten years, the concept of “game addiction” has come to the fore, and its existence is true. The number of adolescents who play games as if to fill all their time is not small, moreover, the age of game addiction is gradually decreasing.
Children who spend time on the Internet may be exposed to commercial and sexual abuse by other people in the same environment, familiar or unfamiliar.
Hand and wrist problems due to sitting in the same position in front of the computer, stiffness and pain in the neck muscles, fatigue in the eyes, deterioration of nutrition, sleep disorder, bedwetting, incontinence, etc. are also problems that may pose a risk to physical health.
So what should be done at this point?
First of all, parents should know at what age it would be appropriate to introduce their children to computers and the Internet. For a child younger than 3 years old, a computer is not meaningful at all, because his physical and mental development is not suitable for it. From the age of 4, they can meet slowly, but under the supervision of an adult and on selected days of the week, for very short periods such as 10-15 minutes, and peer communication should always be given priority in this group whose social development predominates. For older children, 30-60 minutes can be given on selected days of the week based on the needs of the child rather than their wishes. In adolescents, this period may be longer and its use may spread to every day of the week.
Apart from this, certain basic points should be considered in the process of getting acquainted with and using the computer:
Computer usage; It can be a support for education, entertainment and communication but should not replace them.
Parents should be able to accompany the computer from time to time, guide the child when necessary, and be controlling when necessary.
Parents should set an example for their children in the way they use computers.
The programs used on the computer should be suitable for the development level of the child, should be simple and creative to use, and should not contain any abusive elements.
The presence of the computer in communal areas and the occasional accompaniment of a family member or friend can also be a protective factor.
If necessary, filter programs can be used to prevent the child from encountering inappropriate sites.
The child should be taught time management at an early age and be taught to achieve the balance between responsibilities and fun activities.
The most common cause of computer wars at home is parents’ indecisive and inconsistent discipline weaknesses. Parents must learn to give a balanced discipline.
Computers are indispensable in today’s society. Of course, our children cannot stay away from it either. It is more important to give responsibility education at an early age, to guide him as he grows up, and to be restrictive when necessary, rather than prohibiting it out of anger or bickering with the child every day.
