The continued use of electronic devices that help us communicate or play can have unexpected effects on children. Saying 'the future of my children will pass by knowing the technology' and letting hours pass in front of the video console, or sending whatsapp to friends, or uploading photos to their favorite social network, or engulfing any television content, or playing to that cool app that you just downloaded; doesn't help if there is no parental supervision, and a control of time limits and content.
It seems that television It is still the screen where children spend more time, although more and more children of all ages have access to a tablet, smartphone (or both). In the United States, the annual Common Sense report tells us that three out of four children under eight years of age freely access terminals of the types mentioned at home (and sometimes at school). 38% of children under two have used them once, and it is a growing market, which among other good things has brought us very beautiful and educational applications with which to play with our children. This situation is a sample of social evolution and technological development, it has no negative connotation, since since the wisdom, Any family can adapt to the use of these new devices, and provide them with appropriate use for minors. Those minors that we all consider digital natives already (how could they not be if they were born while the technological world was developing at vertigo speed?), They really are, and what we have to worry parents is because they do not know Become digital orphans.
You could say that parents would only need to use common sense, have some perspective on the children's daily activities, and never allow that being in front of a screen (whatever) hinders our children's contact with their other realities (being with friends, reading, playing chess, walking with the family, playing sports, etc.).
The orientations of the experts are not more than that: orientations, although sometimes it is good for us to know that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) it is recommended that you do not watch television until after two years, that smartphones and tablets are not nannies, or that the management of screens at home will limit the leisure time 'on screen' daily to two hours a day (somewhat excessive on school days, for example). In any case, not even children converted into teenagers should be in a row for two hours interacting with these media, although it is true that it is not the same to play alone than with the group of friends (they are usually better regulated).
This is a reminder because Christmas holidays are coming and they have a lot of free time, but above all they will need us, our company and our complicity. The use of screens will come by itself: we will see all Christmas movies, we will sit with the Play command in hand to try to overcome our children (I do not get it, although I try), and we will laugh with the videos that they found online. The day has many hours and although it is true that we should not inhibit the relationship of children with technology, we should not let ourselves be replaced by it.
