Impacts of the digital technology on parenting methods

People change with time, so does the behavior and the activities they are involved in changes with time. We all can see and feel the generation gap between our parents and us and even between our younger and older siblings. Time changes, and so do our methods.

With the changing time, what else has changed is the way of parenting. There is a massive difference between how our parents got treated by our grandparents and how we got treated by our parents, and as per the changing times, there will be a vast difference between how we will be going to treat our children.

In the digital era, we have changed a lot, it has changed our way of thinking, behaving, completing our tasks, and everything has changed.

Everyone has an opinion, and everything has an option. But parenting in the digital age is a game where someone is continually changing the rules and constantly changing the goal post. With so many advancements and technological changes, it must affect our lives in some or other way.

But it is very vital for you as parents to understand how you can be the best parents and be involved in getting the right parenting skills and applying it in your kid’s life in this digital age where technology is changing so rapidly. There are a plethora of options available for all of us, and you didn’t grow up with all the gadgets and options available today, so how would you be able to cope up with this situation and will be able to guide your kids.

As technology is advancing day by day, parents must keep an eye on their kids. Some of the facts which you should know is that

• At a young age, preschoolers tend to spend an average of around 1hour 20 minutes per day on a tablet. 
• For only about 57 percent of the time, kids are around their parents.
• The average age that most children can operate a touchscreen or smartphone device to swipe, unlock and search is just two years.

These above facts are known to every parent, but I think parents do not understand the negative impacts it can have on their child. Our kid asks for a phone, and we, give them what they need without also considering how it can harm them.

PROTECTING YOUR KID FROM INTERNET

You never leave your kid away from your eyes when they are small. But are you also keeping a note of what activities they are involved in while they are in front of you? Act smart and make smart decisions for your kids.

Some parents are very lenient in ways of parenting, and they are very comfortable with their kids spending the whole day on mobile phones without even taking note of what they are doing in the online world. When your kids are small, you can very easily keep a distance between the digital age and your kid, but as your kids grow older, it becomes tough for parents to restrict them from everything. As they go to schools in India, they have to use the internet for their homework and assignments, so you can’t limit them to a handful of applications and videos.

• Know what they are doing
• Set clear and distinct boundaries
• Set restrictions on search engines
• Protect your passwords
• Limit wifi access
• Use kid-safe social media
• Use Filtering software
• Use app lock

As kids go into teenage years, they are more exposed to the digital age, and it becomes very complicated for parents to keep an eye on you. When in their adolescent kids become smart, and so the parental controls and passwords become very easy for them to crack. Plus limiting their access from the internet will be a hindrance to their schoolwork and activities. So parents need to make their kids aware of safe browsing. After all, sometime later, they have to live on their own, and you won’t be there every time so they will be having full access to the internet and might get involved in any online activity.

• Make them understand the meaning of privacy
• Follow your child on social media
• Monitor online gaming
• Monitor their browsing
• ISP parental control

Well, it’s a tough task to have control over your kid in this digital age because digital gadgets around us surround us. The ways of parenting can be different, but the motive of every parent is the same i.e., to keep your child safe and secure. But make sure that you are not coming in between his future and growth. As we all are very much aware of how digital gadgets play an essential role in our day to day life.