new generation has technology readily available to them that just a decade ago
was not even thought to be possible. Digital Media is entering children’s lives
at a much earlier stage of development. It positively and negatively affects
everything about them from intellect to personality to physical fitness.
I was nine years old I did not have a laptop, tablet or smartphone, I had a
bike and friends in the neighborhood. We would meet up in the morning and play
all day, only going home when the street light came on. Even when I reached my
teens and started driving I had a basic flip phone. This summer I saw my
seven-year-old cousin on his tablet playing a game and then taking and editing
photos. He knew exactly what he was doing and had surpassed all the adults in
the room. His first-grade class routinely uses Digital Media to learn basic
math and spelling by way of games and activities. By starting them at a young
age it sets them up to have the skills needed in a technologically growing
world. Certain games can increase a child’s hand eye coordination and ability to
pay attention. (Taylor.
too much screen time can lead to diminished development in other areas. Too
much multi-media can cause a breakdown in communication and social skills as
they are wired-in and miss out on person-to-person interaction that will
negatively affect them in adulthood.
Media use in young kids and adults alike have caused an increase in population
obesity not just in America but also all over the world. In Australia a study
was published that showed those who used a computer most of the time are 1.5
times more likely to be overweight and 2.5 times more likely to be obese (My Bariatric Life. 2012). A study in Qatar found that two percent of
children who used the Internet and various Digital Media applications for more
than three hours a day were already overweight or obese. These health concerns
will likely follow them into adulthood (My Bariatric Life. 2012). Parents today are more concerned about
kidnappings and injury, so they tend to encourage their children to stay inside
and that leads to increased time spent on technology.
kids are missing out on what makes having a childhood a childhood, such as
spending all day with friends riding bikes, catching fireflies and building
forts. They are replacing basic life skills and experiences with a screen.
Media is such an amazing development in technology and offers today’s children
a whole new world to explore at the touch of their fingertips. By introducing
it to them at a young age and for educational purposes you are setting them up
for success in a world dependent on technology but for failure if abused. The disadvantages associated with Digital
Media dependence can come back to hurt those kids in the long run. It is
important to find a balance between screen time and the real world to allow
these kids to be fully rounded adults.