More and more children play more with electronic devices than with toys.
Through play, girls and boys create, imagine and release emotions that will serve them in their development. Technology has become part of our lives and as everything has its virtues and also disadvantages, everything depends on the use that is given. Most of its functions allow us to improve and facilitate our lives, however, its excessive handling can be harmful. It is more and more frequent to observe people on the street who do not take their eyes off some screen, be it a cell phone or a tablet, it is as if they live in a technological world that absorbs all their attention.
Overuse can cause problems for children and adults. Taking into account that the little ones are the reflection of the parents, they usually imitate each of their behaviors and actions, so it should not surprise us that if they spend a large part of their day entertained with some multimedia device.
It is not a matter of having reservations about technology, but knowing how to take advantage of it, it is as if the ancestors had not used fire to their benefit because they were afraid of it, it is not about prohibiting children from using their cell phones, it is about not supplying time of quality and the attention that parents should have, with technological devices?, comments Gina Zerboni Psychopedagogue and Coach.
According to a study by the American Pain Society in the United States, evidence has been found that playing video games, especially virtual reality games, is effective in reducing anxiety or some type of pain caused by medical procedures. Even, it has been proven that the use of technologies in a moderate way can help in different factors of our daily life, for example, strategy games can increase the agility of the cognitive system and with this, achieve better information processing and reasoning in various situations.
We know that many times as parents it is difficult to dedicate most of the day to our children, due to the lifestyle, work or household chores, and for this reason, it is very normal to resort to technological devices such as cell phones, tablets or even the same television as an entertainment tool. However, it is essential to supervise the content and the sites they visit, looking for it to be of quality and suitable for their age.
Technology will continue to be part of the day today, so we must seek to get the most benefit from this situation in order to boost the creativity and imagination of our children, to achieve a balance and experts share the following tips. Remember that children have the optimal bases to develop their creativity, they only require the right impulse and guidance to achieve this goal.
Let them express themselves and listen to them: Give yourself time to play with your child, encourage him to express himself through the drawing and to tell you how he feels. Try not to question them, tell them how your day was so they can learn to show their emotions. Find music and dance with them, brighten up space and time they share. Girls and boys need quality, not quantity.
Toys are for fun: We recommend looking for toys that are playful, that invite them to create and share, this will not only develop their creativity but also their psychomotor skills. Help them grow by playing, encourage their imagination and above all, be part of their world, sit next to them and spend time making fun things.
Modify the use of technology, we understand that the excessive use of devices called tablets, cell phones, video game consoles or television itself can be harmful to girls and boys. Start by regulating an interaction schedule with your team and supervise that the content is suitable for your age. Take them to parks or outdoor spaces because, in addition to releasing energy, they can interact with the environment and people around them.
Girls and boys imitate the behaviors and emotions expressed by their parents or authority figures, remember that when we were little we all wanted to look like mom or dad, so your example is key in their development. If we use a tablet or cell phones they will also want to have one, if we use technology, they will also want to use it, therefore, avoid the excessive use of your devices and when you are with them get involved in their virtual world, so they will learn from your example and you will be able to share quality time. If you are busy and need a minute of silence to be able to finish part of your work or household chores, and you need to have the little ones under control, we recommend that you first review the content that you yourself sought for them, encourage communication and especially the fun.