Should Children Be Banned From Handled Devices?

TASK 3 - Public Discussion Essay

Should Children Be Banned From Handled Devices?

By: St. Mufarrohah

            The advancement of technology, handled devices for example, influences people even younger ages become the user of it. Studies showed that very young children users of handled devices are raising highly (Common Sense Media, 2013). Using of handled devices can give advantages and disadvantages depending on how children use it. Therefore, parents need to know both positive and negative sides of using handled devices, such as cell phones or tablets for their children.

            Using handled devices actually can be useful for children. It can be the media which can communicate, interact, get information easily, and support their process of learning. Learning First Alliance and Grunwald Associates (2013) have reported a survey which showed that children aged 3-18 who are use handled devices, such as cell phones, laptops, or notebooks in school are more related in support educational potential. For example, children can use Wi-Fi to connect to the internet to search the information that they are just found. It can increase their curiosity and reading skill. Research showed that 93 percent of parents agreed that those devices could make learning more fun which children showed better interaction in educational process. They also said that giving handled devices for their children can create creativity and teach problem solving of reading, science, or foreign language. Megan Egbert, who is an educator for intentional and appropriate use of technology, told about the experience of her children. She said that when her children had troubled with their drawing, they used their IPod to figure out that thing. They went to Youtube site, got some tutorials, and last became good in drawing.

            However, parents should keep caring when their children are using handled devices. There are some bad effects that should be known by the parents, some of which are mental illness and epidemic obesity. Mental illness is kind of inability through disturbances in thought and behavior, such as depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders. One of the causes of this disease is technology overuse. According to Dimalanta (2014) stated that children used to spend around six hours per day on gadgets. It makes them easily affected in some mental illness. For example, Waddell (2007) stated that one in six Canadian children get dangerous psychotropic medication because of their addicted on handled devices. On the other hand, children who are allowed to use handled devices while in bedrooms are possible getting 30% of obesity (Feng 2011). Obesity is kind of condition which person has an excess of body fat. It can attack children easily and brings dangerous risks because they will be lazy to do the other activities. Lack of doing physical activities makes the fat in our body pile up. It becomes one of some causes of the obesity. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) proved that 30% of children who get obesity will develop diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and shortening of life.  For example, one in four Canadian and one in three U.S. children get obesity because of TV and video game that they usually play or watch (Tremblay 2011).

            In summary, technology is really helpful and hard to be separated from us in this era. Children also can get its advantages if they use wisely or not. Parents take a place as crucial guard for their children. They can minimize the negative sides and maximize the positives ones. The first important thing is parents should know about the duration of time of using handled devices for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Society of Pediatrics showed that infants aged 0-2 years are forbidden from any kind of handled devices, for 3-5 years can recognize with handled devices, but it is only for an hour per day, and 6-18 years just only for 2 hours per day. Besides, they have to give the explanation about the function of handled devices which for support their process learning, communication, interaction, and to get information. So, it is possible for parents to let their children use handled devices, but they must be caring with the process of it.