As in any other aspect of parenting, technological education requires constant attention from parents, the time that the little ones spend in front of the screens must be regulated, and although in some cases the use of the Internet is completely prohibited , that solution only works in the first years of life. From a certain age, the internet becomes an educational and social tool, where children carry out most of their daily activities

The following tips are essential for parents who seek to educate their children in information technologies without allowing them to exceed the appropriate time of media consumption, risk their information, or expose themselves to inappropriate content

How To Educate The Little Ones About The Use Of Technology.

“With the prohibitions you are not going anywhere” says Mar Monsoriu, an expert in the use of technology in the family environment. She also emphasizes that completely prohibiting Internet access “encourages the child to connect to the Internet in the same way, but clandestinely and without supervision.” That’s the first lesson worth learning about regulating technology at home; With the exception of children under 2 years of age, a complete ban on screens is a very ineffective measure.

From the age of 3 and up to 5, their exposure can begin to be gradual, remembering that, at these ages, the educational content that they can see on streaming platforms or television has a very limited impact unless it is linked to experiences in real life, then the accompaniment of the parents to repeat the lessons seen or comment on the program is crucial. That would be the second most important general lesson, without the accompaniment of parents, regulation and supervision is impossible.

“Virtual babysitter” programs that restrict access to certain pages or the use of certain programs should be the last resort and used in more aggravated cases. First, it is vital that parents get involved in the activities that children carry out on the Internet, that they understand them and seek to educate them in the benefits and dangers that may exist when doing them, just as in any other aspect of life. Just as it is taught to cross a street, first with accompaniment and general advice, to gradually leave children alone, so they must also be taught about technology. Below, we list some of the most important aspects to consider to educate the little ones at home in the use of the network:

Set Limits: 

The use of technology, like all other activities, must have reasonable limits. The time that children spend in front of the screen alternates with games or tasks outside the digital world, as they bring with them many benefits along with the stimulation of their creativity. Make device-free time a daily priority.

Screens Don’t Have To Be A Solitary Activity:

Watching, playing, learning and interacting online are activities that parents and children can do together, excellent for sharing experiences and perspectives with the little ones, as well as a good opportunity to give them practical advice.

Set A Good Example:

Limiting your own consumption of media content and practicing kindness and good manners in our online interactions are crucial for the little ones to educate themselves, let’s remember that children learn mainly by imitating.

Create Technology-Free Zones:

Family meals are a good example of a time when the use of devices can be completely prohibited and choosing places in the home, such as the rooms of the youngest, to make them technology-free zones can be very beneficial , especially to improve your sleeping habits.

Don’t Use Technology As An Emotional Pacifier:

Digital media is great for keeping kids calm and quiet, but it can’t be the only way they can calm down. They must learn to identify and control their own emotions, solve problems or beat boredom on their own without always resorting to technology.

One of the most important lessons for children and adolescents that is applicable to almost any aspect of the Internet or technology, is that privacy is very important. Testing applications, programs, social networks or games before we allow the youngest to use them is an excellent way to detect if there are risks to privacy or security within their use, although in general it is important to warn them that there are hostile users on the Internet , virulent programs, unreliable pages or people pretending to be something they are not looking for sensitive information.

With the constant accompaniment of an adult, the use of the internet and devices can be very beneficial for a child, and this technological education can prevent many errors or vulnerabilities that lie in wait for our information.We hope that these tips have been useful to you, especially now that technology is increasingly integrated into all aspects of our lives.Education, tools and digital solutions that protect and optimize our networks and devices are more important than ever.

Also Read : 6 Unique Features Of A Smart Home