Oped: Toddlers with technology

by Jacklyn O’Toole

As children, we didn’t have tablets and iPhones to keep us busy and entertained like today’s toddlers do.

If one asked college students if they wished to go back to a time without a care in a world, to a time where we fought over what game we were going to play with the neighborhood friends after school, many of them might wish to go back to their childhood.Growing up, we had coloring books, dolls, and other toys to keep ourselves entertained. With coloring books and toys, there was still imagination. Now it seems like it is dying off the longer young children have tablets.

Cris Rowan, a pediatric occupational therapist, biologist, speaker, and author, wrote an article for the HuffPost called, “The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child.” “The impact of rapidly advancing technology on the developing child has seen an increase of physical, psychological, and behavior disorders that the health and education systems are just beginning to detect, much less understand,” Rowan wrote.

An article written by Pamela DeLoatch called “The Four Negative Sides of Technology,” posted on the website, Edudemic, discusses the four ways technology can change a child. Technology changes the way children think and feel. It can also be a safety and privacy risk. And lastly, technology can lead to less physical activity and obesity.

Young children being exposed to too much screen time can affect them later in life. Young children can see something violent during a game and it can stick with them. Or, if young children are having too much screen time and not enough time face-to-face with other children, it can lead to children having a hard time meeting new friends.

It is important for young children to go outside, play with friends, play with toys, and enjoy childhood. Today’s parents should realize that it does matter how much screen time they are giving their children.

(Photo: Google)