Smartphones, tablets, ipads and Tv are all around us. No matter how hard I try to hide them from my son, he can’t help it but want to have access to them. We are surrounded by electronic devices all day long.
Since, we cannot escape them, it worth asking how electronic media affect our children’s health? And, what can we do about it?
Smartphone: Are They That Smart For Our Kids’s Health?
When my son was about 5 months old, he seemed already attracted by the light coming from the screen of my or his dad’s smartphone. Needless to mention, he was even more intrigued by the movement of the images singulair drug.
I’ve tried hard to avoid him getting close to the device.
Well, I think I’ve managed that…so far.
Now at 22 months, he knows that I don’t let him holding my phone for very long (less than 1 minute). But, sometimes I might let him watch a quick video with me on my smartphone because he’s curious about the sound and wants to know what’s happening. Even then, I am very cautious not to let him watch the screen for very long.
Unfortunately, his dad seems to have another opinion about the subject. He likes to let him plays with an apps designed for children. The idea is to touch flying balloons appearing on the screen and pop them!
Although, the concept is fine I am not comfortable that he plays with a smartphone over 5 mins. But, thanks God, he doesn’t play with it very often.
Well, I was right to worry about the impact of the phone on children.
Here below is a video explaining how the exposure of cell phone radiation affect children especially knowing that their brain is still developing.
I let you discover, this Youtube Video by Cell Phone Health : Cell Phone Dangers – Children and Cell Phones Don’t Mix.
It is very scary what you hear there.
In addition, what we need to know is not just smart and cell phones but the Wifi is causing big risk for our children risk as well. We have no clue what is the effect all these wireless, electronic devices have on our kids’s development.
By the way, did you know that Steve Jobs limited the use of electronic devices for his own children?
If you have doubt about what I am saying, here is an article about it.
This makes me wonder…
If this man who was the founder of the world’s greatest high tech companies didn’t let his children using ipads and other electronic devices, so, why on earth shall I take the risk and expose my own child to these radiation?
He must have known something that I don’t.
Since, I do not know anything about it. Therefore, let’s reduce the use of all these electronic media for our children.
But, is eletronic media always bad?
Like anything in life, if use in excess even a good thing can have terrible consequences.
Some time ago, I have shown to my son a couple time French animated nursery rhythms on Youtube. He seemed to like it but he’s never really insisted to ask for more at that time.
However, I don’t know whether this is due to a new phase of his development, or if because he is a bit older, things have changed.
These days, he seems to request more and more for the songs.
How do I know it even if he doesn’t speak yet?
Very easy, either he points at the laptop or the tv screen(nowadays it’s possible to have access to Youtube via TV).
It’s quite frustrating because I can see how quickly he can become addicted.
Thanks God, my son watches only educational video.
And, what reassure me is that I see him repeating the word he hears from the program. So, he is really learning something out of it.
However, no matter how good it can be for him, I still limit the time to 30 min to an hour a day.
I’ve seen recently a video at TEDxTalk, presented by Lisa Guernsey. She is Director of the New America Foundation’s Early Education Initiative. She said that we have the power as parents (or carer) to talk with our children, to make them understand the media and help them to understand how they can relate in reality from what they see from the screen.
I let you discover more from the video below
When exposed too long to electronic media, children’s health is at risk. They might use the screen only at a limited time and for educational purpose. Since, these screen are quite addictive, we have to make sure to be alert to any danger.
Please share here your experience about dealing with electronic devices with your little one. I will be happy to hear from you. Thanks in advance.
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