Christmas and internet devices for children

Research tells us that social norms in young children are being undermined because of early access to internet devices. | EFE

Peter Clover20/12/2024 11:03
TW
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With Christmas looming just behind those smoking chimney pots, there has been recent media concern as to whether children as young as ‘five’ should be given smart-devices as Christmas prezzies! Some children as young as ‘seven’ already have their own, personal mobile phones! This to me, seems a trifle young, yet some parents argue that it makes their children contactable, delivering an assured sense of security. Just a thought, but where are these seven-year-olds off to that necessitates such remote contactability? Surely, they’re not out on the town or wandering about all on their own! If a child is where it should be at that tender young age, whether at home with a parent, or being supervised at school, the focus of contactability is surely visible and only a few metres away. The presence of a responsible adult should immediately promote instant security!

OK, to be fair, smart tablet devices for young children are undoubtedly entertaining, and digital technology provides a very useful educational tool, encouraging reading, co-ordination skills, reflex responses etc. However, being connected to the internet at such a young age flags up an immediate concern. And believe it or not, most phones these days, smart or otherwise, do have that precise ability! So, a seven-year-old with a mobile phone??? Maybe think again Santa if you’re planning to pop one into a cherished Christmas stocking.

It might seem like running for a train that’s already left the station, but the subject of a recent channel 4 documentary challenged a group of children who agreed to give up their mobile phones for three weeks in a phone-free social experiment. The idea was to re-wire their brains. “I wouldn’t say I’m addicted,” confessed a confident year 8 student; “but it is one of my main priorities. What I’m worried about is losing trends and stuff. And if you’re boring, then people won’t want to be friends with you!” That strikes me as seriously sad!

“My life is in that phone, and now it’s completely gone!” another student aged 11 bemoaned dramatically, before dropping his mobile into a securely locked box. One pupil even said that without a phone he’d been forced to read a book!

Yes, it’s great having internet access and smart phones along with tablets as a constant in our daily lives. And the digital demon is undeniably here to stay if the Christmas shop displays are anything to go by. But the younger generation will grow into adults soon enough, and be using every device at their disposal in the developing world, so we don’t have to push or encourage too early, do we?

Research tells us that social norms in young children are being undermined because of early access to internet devices. Social skills and the ability to interact are at their lowest levels. Some children would rather sit alone all day in their rooms playing games, or chatting on social media rather than venturing outside into the real world to relate with real friends. On-line bullying has been taken to another level with cyber trolls and ‘hatespeak’, plus ADHD and aggression has been linked to early internet addiction in children, particularly boys, with far too many ‘killing’ games readily available!

As an adult, I use the internet to a regular extent, yet try to be taught by technology rather than be tethered to it. Some people simply can’t function at all without their smart phones and tablets. Truth is, these devices are seriously invaluable in the modern world. Our phones can set our morning alarms. They remind us of appointments and meetings throughout the day. They provide somewhere to make notes. You can use them as a torch. Tell the time. Nose into people’s Facebook and Instagram accounts to see who’s doing what. You can read the news. Read books. Search for recipes. Watch films. Take photos and videos. Keep all your contact addresses. Send and receive emails. Book holidays. Check your bank account. In fact, there’s an app for everything. Oh, yes! And you can even make telephone calls. How cool is that!

All those things are seriously great, yet occasionally the technology even gets beyond me! Recently, I made a large purchase at a well-known department store and had to complete payment through the customer services dept. Being pre-Christmas the said department was extremely busy, and you needed to select from various choices on a touch screen to receive a ticket, allocating a specific service desk. As the choices were many, and a little vague, I selected the wrong catagory and ended up in line to buy tickets for The Lion King. I did eventually complete my original mission, yet couldn’t help wondering if I’d been given a mobile phone when I was seven, then I would probably have missed out on an epic, globally acclaimed musical. Hakuna Matata!