Newsletter
Skip to table of contents
Tech and Your Tots, Friend or Foe?
By Olivia Briggs,
September 9, 2015
|
Tweet |

You’ve said it, your friends have said it, and your parents won’t stop saying it. “Boy, am I glad social media didn’t exist when I was a kid.” While we may be overlooking some pros of our current technological age, I think we can all agree that we are thankful that the foibles of our childhoods, and most definitely our teen years, were not broadcast for the world to see. But, times have changed. Drastically. Not only is social media a staple of young people’s lives, the rise in technology as a whole presents an entirely new challenge for parents, as well as some solutions. This month we will be exploring the issue of modern technology throughout the stages of development to offer some tips and strategies for your child’s usage.
Techie Toddlers
The use of technology at this age presents the most concerns for parents, pediatricians, and researchers alike. The first three years of life mark the most rapid period of brain development in a human life, and studies have shown again and again that children this age learn best through verbal communication combined with physical interaction, like reading and play. Though experts agree that future technology shows promise in being able to facilitate learning at this age, what we have now just isn’t cutting it.
But let’s get real. Sometimes you need a few minutes or more to make a phone call, pay some bills, or even run to the bathroom, and that would be a lot easier if your little one was momentarily distracted. Throwing some “Winnie the Pooh” on the iPad while you get something done is fine. Just try not to exceed an hour a day.
We also recommend keeping mealtime tech-free and full of conversation. We know this can be a prime time for you to finally check your e-mail, but setting an example by staying off your devices and keeping the videos out of the dining room will go a long way toward helping your child’s vocabulary and conversational skills.
Clicky Kids
Once your child is elementary or middle-school age, technology can become a very useful tool. They can chat with friends and family face-to-face though miles away, thus increasing their sense of community, which is great for self-esteem. Access to certain applications and web pages can foster greater creativity, motivation, and overall industriousness, as the answers to many of their questions are only a click away. Some studies have even found that operating technology can fine-tune motor skills and enhance hand-eye coordination. And let’s face it, technology isn’t going anywhere, so teaching your child how to use it as a tool to enhance their lives certainly isn’t going to stunt them.
That said, at this age children should not be surfing the web by themselves. Despite ongoing efforts to police this new frontier, it’s still the wild west, and youngins can easily find themselves stumbling into the wrong saloon, as it were. In addition, too much time on any device, with any application or game, can also promote sedentary behaviors and a decrease in personal interactions, which is still vital at this age. Computers, devices, or video games in a child’s bedroom has also been linked with sleep deprivation. So, the bottom line here is, temper the time, supervise the searches, and keep the alluring buttons out of the bedroom.
Tweeting Teens and Tweens
Facebook and other social media platforms have a rule that members must be 13 or older to create a profile. Of course it is not unheard of that a tween lies about their birth year, but for the sake of “social media law”, let’s use this as the earliest age a parent can consider allowing their child to join the online community. Whether you decide that 13 is appropriate or not is completely up to you, but regardless of age, here are some tips to help you and your child take the plunge with increased safety and security.
Create your child’s online profile with them. That way, you can have greater control over how they are presenting themselves to the world, and you will hold their login information if anything goes awry or you need to shut it down. Be sure to make use of the privacy settings and do not include information like phone numbers or addresses. Remind them that the same social rules that govern their “real” lives apply to the Internet ten-fold. Anything that they post will exist in the nebulous vacuum of the online universe forever. Hopefully this trend will change, but these days your social media presence can affect the college admissions process and even hireability for jobs down the road.
And finally, no matter what the age of your child and the type of technological device they choose to engage in, keep your ears and eyes open for changes in behavior, lethargy, or stress that seems to stem from the practice. They may not love you for it in the moment, but responsibly and respectably controlling their use of technology will most likely earn you a big, fat “thank you” somewhere down the road.
Establishing Discipline and Boundaries
January 13, 2021Mental Health During the Pandemic
December 10, 2020Let Them Fight
November 9, 2020Approaching the Flu Season During the Pandemic
October 16, 2020Flu Shots
September 11, 2020Daycare During the Pandemic
August 4, 2020Summer Reading List
July 2, 2020Talking to Your Kids About Racism
June 4, 2020We Stand in Solidarity
June 4, 2020COVID-19 Antibody Testing in Kids
June 2, 2020Potty Training
May 21, 2020COVID-19 Antibody Testing
May 19, 2020FAQs on Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome, Kawasaki Disease and Toxic Shock Syndrome
May 12, 2020COVID and Kawasaki Virus
May 8, 2020Virtual Visits
May 5, 2020Practice Updates on COVID-19
April 29, 2020Making the Best of Being Stuck at Home
April 13, 2020Ibuprofen Use During COVID-19
March 31, 2020COVID-19 and Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
March 30, 2020Good News Concerning COVID-19 in Kids
March 25, 2020COVID-19 Practice Update
March 23, 2020COVID-19 FAQ From The Practice
March 13, 2020Letting Kids Entertain Themselves
March 12, 2020Dr. Michel Cohen’s COVID-19 Update
February 26, 2020Picky Eater
January 9, 2020Dr. Jason Perlman on Flu Testing and Treatment
December 11, 2019Eczema
November 6, 2019Sibling Rivalry
October 10, 2019Resisting Toilet Training
August 22, 2019There is Such a Thing as Good Screen Time
July 11, 2019Fever: When to Worry & When Not to Worry
June 12, 2019Take a Walk with Your Kids
May 9, 2019Measles Update
April 10, 2019Your Child’s Persistent Cough
February 6, 2019The Best Games for Family Game Night
December 20, 2018Why it’s Okay to Say “No” Even During The Holidays
December 5, 2018Camp Brooklyn Fund Honors Dr. Michel Cohen
November 5, 2018Having the #MeToo Conversation With Your Children
October 10, 2018Coxsackie
September 13, 2018School Anxiety; An Excerpt from Dr. Cohen’s “The New Basics”
August 23, 2018Flying with Your Baby
July 12, 2018Q & A with Dr. Cohen on Temper Tantrums
May 10, 2018Six Things to Know About the Stomach Bug
February 27, 2018Dr. Michel Cohen Debunks Cold Treatments
December 5, 2017Flu Season
September 7, 2017Shoestring
August 16, 2017Sunscreen and Bug Spray Q & A
July 13, 2017Summer Time, Ticks and Lyme
June 13, 2017Springing into Allergy Season
May 16, 2017Standardized Stress
April 13, 2017Embracing the New
March 14, 2017Your Little Thumb Sucker
February 14, 2017Let Them Eat Peanuts
January 12, 2017Happy Holidays! No Hugs Just Yet
December 15, 2016Car Seats and Public Transportation
November 10, 2016Flu Shots
September 14, 2016Back to School Blues
August 9, 2016Kids, Germs, and Immunity
July 14, 2016Summer Health in the Summer Heat
July 7, 2016Toddlers and Tics
June 6, 2016Ear Fears
June 2, 2016Circumcision Decision, Penis Maintenance, and…Circumcision Revision
May 10, 2016Allergy Season
May 5, 2016Let’s Get Physical
April 14, 2016BEDTIME RITUALS
February 29, 2016HEALTHY DISCIPLINE
February 2, 2016For Your Anti Antibiotic Consideration
January 8, 2016Surviving the Holidays
December 10, 2015A Healthy Adoption
November 12, 2015Open Enrollment for the New York Health Exchange
October 21, 2015Staying Healthy when Kids are Sick
October 16, 2015Flu Season, The Most Wonderful Time of Year
October 16, 2015Tech and Your Tots, Friend or Foe?
September 9, 2015The Flu Vaccine 2015-2016
September 9, 2015Sleepy Scene
August 10, 2015Lighten the Load
August 10, 2015How Young is too Young for Public Transportation?
July 16, 2015Air Travel Tips
June 18, 2015