Using Technological Discipline to Raise Strong Children

As the old saying goes, “Teach ’em while they’re young.” The standard should be moral, yet social indifference has held society back for generations. Teaching your kids to stand up for what’s right can not only break the societal mold of overly normalized injustice, but also broaden the moral compass of younger generations. Although we’ve reached a point where society’s injustices are normalized, they aren’t unnoticed. 

According to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center – within the last year in America, 1 in 5 (20.2%) students reported being bullied, and almost half (41%) of students being bullied expect it to happen again. As a result, students begin to skip school. Within the last month, 1 in 3 students have missed at least one day of school due to being bullied. On top of that, up to 6 in 10 LGBTQ students feel unsafe at school, and up to 1 in 3 special education students experience bullying. Silence is complacence, so why don’t people speak up? Perhaps we’re too out of touch.

Today, more than 85% of parents worry about how much time their kids spend online. Technology has created an alternative dimension for us to warp inside of whenever we want. The more we engage with our technology, the less we interact with our surroundings. In other words, when we are engulfed in technology, we may treat it better than we treat people.

This is not to say screen addiction hasn’t already been around for years. From 2015 to 2019, children’s daily use of computers for homework doubled. However, with distance learning, remote work, and quarantine boredom, the coronavirus pandemic has definitely heightened screen addiction rates.

Since the start of the pandemic, 66% of children spend more time watching screens. Getting more specific, 60% spend 3+ hours per day with screens, 49% spend 6+ hours online each day – which is a 500% hike from 2019’s data, and 30% are online without supervision for 4+ hours per day. What happens when children get too much screen time? They begin neglecting people.

Communication is key, and our social intelligence can guide us further than we give it credit. Children under two, who regularly watch at least 1 hour of television daily, show increased risk of cognitive, language, and motor delays. On top of that, children who use screens frequently between ages 2 and 6 may be more likely to develop emotional problems and experience family dysfunction. Even further, teens and young adults who regularly spend long periods on social media exhibit higher rates of depression – and even higher risk of suicide. 

Now, ridding screens from your child’s routine altogether is furthest from the best approach to lowering their exposure to the aforementioned dangers. We’re in the peaking years of the digital era, so there is a need for screens. When used appropriately, technology can help children explore a wider range of interests and hobbies, keep in touch with family and friends, and connect with like-minded peers. However, not all screens are equal. Knowing this, 

As a result, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests a 1-hour screen time limit for children under 6. Similarly, the WHO and the CDC recommend 2-hours or less for children under 18. With 30% online without supervision for 4+ hours daily, it’s also crucial to monitor what your child has access to, and to monitor their activity with parental controls. This way, you can solve your problems together. Since we are in the digital era, many instances of bullying have gone digital, but platforms like the Cybersmile Foundation and the Random Acts Organization can help assist.

Knowing this, it’s important you never stop learning. Raising a strong child means facing your own biases. Teaching pristine social skills to your kids at their earliest will prove to be most beneficial in the long run. Check out the infographic below for more tips on raising strong children.

Credit: https://www.bestkidstuff.com/