Your child may be eager to ask you for a mobile device like a cellphone or tablet at a young age, but this can affect the way they learn and take in information. Mobile devices offer your children the internet- a fast-paced environment that gives them instant satisfaction. This instant satisfaction does nothing for retaining difficult or complex information. Even educational programs on mobile devices don’t lend the nicest hand to productive learning, as the information learned on the internet can quickly be forgotten opposed to learning by reading a book, or even doing exercises on paper.
If you’re not monitoring your child’s time on a cellphone or tablet, you may encounter the following issues:
- Child development happens in very early years. When a child is constantly focused on a mobile device, they may not be making vital relationships with people.
- Your child may become obsessed with the mobile device and not want to focus on homework, reading, or other related activities.
- Staring at screens may make it hard for children to fall asleep at night. The constant light in their eyes may bother their sleeping/waking cycles.
- A lack of physical activity due to an overuse of mobile devices can also disturb your child’s sleeping cycle. This isn’t beneficial for a productive school life.
Instead of only using mobile devices, always encourage children to be creative. Drawing on paper is more beneficial than drawing on a screen (because of the lack of artificial light in their eyes). It is also important to constantly speak to children in a conversational tone; this will enhance their vocabulary, learning skills, and their self-esteem when they communicate in public settings. Physical activities like yoga or stretching promote blood circulation to all parts of the body, which in turn, helps them retain more information and remain focused in the classroom or while they do homework.
Mobile devices are here to stay, and they’re here for a reason. They can be beneficial in promoting fast learning, but taking it slow is better for content retention. When it comes to using a cellphone or tablet, moderation is definitely key.
