Is Technology Ruining Today’s Kids? Hear From 4 Mums

By Ameena Aliyu-Beighton

Tokunbo Alalade, mum to Mimi 

Fact! We are in a digital society. And we cannot deny the benefits that modern technology has provided us with, our children included. But as with any other thing, there are pros and cons.

For my daughter in particular, child educational TV programs and use of apps through her ipad has in fact advanced her intellectual development. She’s able to perform multiple tasks on her ipad as well as see and process information very quickly. However, I am well aware that over use of such gadgets can lead to a decrease in attention span and can contribute to increased exasperation. For instance, sometimes while watching TV or playing on her ipad she might refuse to carry out another task asked of her. She becomes instantly furious when the TV is switched off or the ipad taken away from her.

Also, as with adults, modern technology reduces patience and tolerance levels. We all become very frustrated when the page we want to view takes time to load. Mimi bemoans, ‘Mummy, it’s taking a long, long time to load!’ Everything has become instant, therefore, our will and determination to persevere is reducing, but patience is an essential virtue needed to survive and withstand the hardships of life, and our children should not miss out on that.

Another cause for concern with over use of modern technology is the declining social skills in children as they develop. Face to face communication is being replaced with other forms of interaction like instant text messaging, apps, social networks, and so on.

The summary of it is that while technology has become a prerequisite to exist and flourish in this era of advancement, parents need to go the extra mile to control the negative impacts on their children by keeping an eye on its excessive and inappropriate usage.

Ayeesha Tobun, Mum to Aarah & Ali ‘Mik

To be honest, technology today is an inevitable part of life.  The world is controlled by computers, so not being able to find and follow information with technology is as good as being left behind.

It is up to us parents to educate and guide our kids, act as filters and painstakingly monitor what they are exposed to. I understand that there are hidden dangers that no filteration system can control, like facebook friends, who could have been less than honest about their age and intentions, or the increased rates of online bullying.

However, so far, I have come to believe that the pros outweigh the cons.

There are lots of very child friendly and educational applications for ipads/tablets which are interactive and good forms of unsupervised learning. Make these readily available.

Cleopatra Agoro, Mum to Olalekan

I think every generation has their own paradigm shifting issue. I guess ours was Television and the fears of shows like Dynasty and Dallas that our parents thought would surely make us wayward and erode our traditional values. The truth is, I’m sure if we all look back, we survived.

In our children’s case, the fast paced changes in technology and the overwhelming influence is their generational issue, and it’s here to stay.  I prefer to embrace it, and like most of our parents did, I believe parental guidance is strongly necessary.

Decide what learning objective you want your child to achieve and use technology as an aid. Ensure they are in the places you want them to be, especially while browsing the internet (put controls that align with your child’s age). Most importantly, I think as a parent, you should do what is comfortable with you, and age appropriate and safe for your child. Just because Mrs. X, Y, and Z’s children has some gadget or privilege does not mean your child is ready for one. So, always think it through.

Anania Asba

My experience is mainly positive.

Jo has a PSvita with wifi and a Samsung tablet. He goes through phases of using one or the other.

The PSvita is obviously for games but I have a say in what games he has.

As for the tablet, the idea was for educational stuff especially reading through kindle app. Of course, he has managed to download games on it without my knowledge.

He uses these gadgets mostly at night and still interacts with friends on a daily basis after school.

I do monitor how long he’s been on.

These gadgets are also very handy when you are travelling/shopping, etc, as it keeps him quiet and avoids boredom!

What has been your own experience?