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Lakendra Wright English 102
7/6/08 Essay 2
Ways to Balances the Children’s Technology Use
Technology affects the way people learn, converse, and think. It helps define society and determines how we interact with others on a daily basis. One downfall to technology is the lack of monitoring that occurs on many web pages, which causes pornography and terrorist ideals to be easily reached (Internet). Some would say that technology such as computers have done more harm than good when it comes to the influence on society. Here are some tips to balance technology in your child’s life. Look for symptoms of internet dependency. Keep all computers in the open. Help your child socialize offline.
Look for symptoms of internet dependency. There are physical and psychological factors that could tell you whether or not someone you know is indeed an internet addict (Internet). A conspicuous sign internet addiction is when a person lies about the amount of time they spend online; and the purposes in which they use the internet for (Internet). An average person spends two hours a day on the internet. An internet addict spends approximately 8 hours a day on the internet (Internet). Internet addicts give themselves and others a hard time when they can not go online. Oftentimes, internet addicts learn to “manipulate” the people around them just so they can sustain the addiction (Internet). If anything or anyone tries to get in the way of their computer time, they will instantly succumb into anxiety and depression (Internet). As with any addiction, internet dependency comes with a price. If your loved one is getting deeper in debt because of the amount of cash he spends on anything related to computer software and hardware and its use membership fee on favorite sites, online purchases, etc., it is time to consider checking him or her in an addiction treatment center. Dr. Jerald Block, a psychiatrist, is on a mission to make internet addiction a medical condition. Studies show that five to ten percent of internet users are addicts (Internet).
Help your child socialize offline. Children whom are unpopular or shy with peers are often attracted to the opportunities for creating new identities in online communities (About Parents). Boys, in particular, are frequent users of online role-playing games, and portable video games where they assume new identities, and interact with other players (About Parents). Although playing these games with thousands of other users may appear to be a social activity, for the reserved child or teen, excessive playing can further detach them from friends and peers. Parents should encourage children to participate in recreational teams or clubs to keep them socializing with peers. The growing obesity rate among children has grown immensely since new advances in technology (Internet). In today’s society, children spend more time at home, instead of outside socializing actively among their peers.
Keep the computer out in the open. Children should not have computers in there rooms at any age. By keeping the computer out in the open parents can effectively regulate their child’s time spent on the computer. As a result, it keeps children from being involved in inappropriate web use. Invest in parental control software that bans inappropriate websites (Microsoft). Parents should make sure they educate their children about online pedophiles. Pedophiles often pretend they are children to gain the confidence of real children (Microsoft). Parents should establish rules for online use. Screen what your kids plan to post online. Ask yourself, as a parent, are you comfortable letting your kids share certain information online. Tell your children not to put photos of themselves on the Internet, or to give out their names, addresses, phone numbers, schools, or other personal information online (Microsoft). Parents should know the dangers of the websites the child frequently visits. Create an open relationship with your child (Microsoft).
How can technology in society get any better? From refrigerators that tell when it is time to restock our favorite beverage, to ovens that cook and then cool your meal. Technology has revolutionized society in good and bad ways. More importantly, it is important that we teach our children how to balance the new inventions of technology. Look for symptoms of internet dependency. Help your child socialize offline. Keep all computers in the open.
Bibliography
Kids, Web W. “About Parents.” Web Wise Kids. 4 July 2008 .http://www.webwisekids.org/index.asp?page=parents>.
“Microsoft Technology.” Microsoft. 2008. Microsoft. 6 July 2008 .http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2008/jun08/06-26hyperv.mspx>.
Young, Kimberly S. “Internet Addiction.” Wikipedia. 2001. 4 July 2008 .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_addiction_disorder>.