The challenge of the digital age for the little ones in the house

Author: Sofía Beco Fonseca | Nurse and mom @sophiemamindu

“The emergence of new technologies forces us to educate children differently” (Howard Gardner)

Long gone are the days when children played ball, tag, or invented their own stories and built their own worlds without the need for great resources or parental supervision. Times have changed, and we are immersed in an inevitable digital age.

New technologies are transforming the world we live in; they are a part of our society and our lives. On the one hand, they bring us closer to people who are far away, but at the same time, we realize they distance us from those close to us. This makes us reflect on how we are dealing with new technologies and their respective consequences.

Tablets, mobile phones, televisions, and game consoles are increasingly present in our homes. They're attractive elements with which our children seem to have an innate ability to interact. Is this beneficial or harmful?

I believe that new technologies cannot be denied, since in one way or another we have them everywhere and we need them. And we cannot turn our backs on them or deny them to our children, but our role as parents (depending on the needs of each family) is to understand the best way to use them without causing harm. As long as we make appropriate and responsible use of new technologies, we can experience such interesting benefits as:

• Promote communication by developing social skills, such as communicating remotely with family or friends who are far away.
• Access to knowledge where information can be obtained and expanded quickly and very intuitively.
• Improving cognitive functions through educational applications that encourage and promote writing, reading, and math skills.

But misuse is associated with various health problems such as:

• Sleep disturbances.
• Hyperactivity.
• Lack of attention.
• Obesity, caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

From the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP), Dr. Jaime García Aguado explains that "the interaction between adults and children during use is crucial, as there is still evidence of the risks of excessive use of digital media."

It's up to us, as parents, to adapt and mediate between screens and our children, taking advantage of their benefits without losing focus. We must preserve playful moments and family fun. Empathize and educate in a positive and safe way because a screen doesn't provide affection or create emotional bonds; it serves other purposes, such as entertainment, learning, or leisure time.