By Aabida Begum
Behind every good kid, is a great parent and being a parent is one of the most valued and complex jobs in today’s world. Parents are considered as the first and most important educators and mirrors in the lives of children therefore, parenting is considered a serious, complex, multidimensional and demanding endeavor. Contemporary parents are facing more risks and more uncertainties in meeting the expectations of their digital-age children. The access of children to techno-devices and information technology has heightened new concerns and challenges for parents to nurture their children in the right direction.
Parents can utilize technology for child upbringing in various ways, such as they can use technological devices for educational purposes, for pleasure and entertainment, for learning new skills and investigating a concept. However, the use of information technology and technological devices for child nurturing is becoming a debatable concept in our present-day society. Most parents are advocating for keeping a balance between screen time and leisure time, while others resist the inclusion of technology in the lives of their children. Such parents prefer physical engagements of their children in real life scenarios rather than digital activities. Even within one home there is a difference of opinion, for some people information technology is an exciting necessity of life, and others are worried about the future of their children.
A huge information bombardment is being made into the society on the effects of technology on child well-being that further aggravates confusion and anxieties among parents and well-wishers. Compared to the previous generations, parents are facing more risks and uncertainty. Therefore, parents today are under a lot of pressure in dealing with the changing technology. Parents are told that screen time loses children’s concentration, increases anxieties, obesity, addiction, rudeness and changes in their routine and eating habits. As a result, parents ban certain kinds of digital activities or punish and give warnings to take away from them, if they will be using technological devices. This creates conflicts and mistrust among parents and children and often feel guilty about screen.
This creates confusion and a lot of uncertainty about the use of technological gadgets for child nurturing. Several pertinent questions are being raised such as.
- How should parents manage their children’s use of digital devices?
- Why do parents keep hopes or fears from the digital world?
- What should they be doing to become good parents?
Reflecting on our past childhood experiences, the society has drastically changed not only in technologies, but also in social, behavioral and moral values. The labor market is changing, the make-up of our society is changing, the educational system is changing, all those challenges shaping and reshaping our lives today. Therefore, it is important to wholeheartedly recognize and accept the reality of the day that it is the age of technology, and we have no other option but to accommodate with it to survive. Although, most parents realize the importance of technology for their children’s development yet are afraid about their usage and are a kind of wrestling over whether they are making the right choice right now or not. All parents are just trying to do their best and they do different experiments to get there.
Hence, in this critical time parents need to support and regulate their children’s activities with care when raising their children in this digital era. If we really think of planning towards the child’s long- term benefit for digital future, then we need to keep a balance among all activities. Apart from technology parents are encouraged to play, work and spend their time with their children together. As parents we need to engage in interactive, serve and return type interactions, creative and enjoyable activities. We need to listen to our children, give some space for their views, to negotiate together. Banning technology is not the solution and providing limitless independence for using technology is even more harmful. We need to devise a home-based mechanism of joint-controlled exposure of the children to the technology so that on the one hand they are prepared for their digital age and on the other hand they are safeguarded form the negative side effects that can harm the overall personality development.
