A New World
There’s no doubt about it. We’ve become a technology-driven society. Everything from home appliances to municipal infrastructures is controlled to some extent through computer access. Even the most basic tasks involved in living one’s life either require, or are made easier by, the use of computers and the internet.
We shop online. We manage our finances and pay our bills without picking up a pen or stamping an envelope. Recipes, photographs and home videos are stored in a virtual filing cabinet. We stay in touch with family and friends through email, conduct business the same way, and rely on the availability of nearly any piece of information with a few clicks of the mouse.
Think back to the last time the power went out during a storm or your computer was in for repairs if you doubt the significance of technology – life almost comes to a standstill without it!
As good parents, we naturally want to make sure our children have every opportunity to prepare for the future. These days, that absolutely includes at least a working knowledge of all things computers, including the internet.
Most schools, where budgets permit, have computers either in the classroom or in a computer lab, and students begin using them as a regular part of the curriculum, as early as kindergarten in many instances.
Statistics vary, but it is estimated that 165 million people in the United States regularly access the internet, and the top five websites worldwide are US- based. Seventy-three percent of American homes own at least one computer, and usage figures are rising exponentially.
What does all this mean to the parents of budding young minds? Several things. First, our children are benefiting from a world of opportunities that were not available in any previous generation.
In addition to the computer skills children are acquiring at a very young age, they are learning more in less time and gaining a deeper understanding of the world around them through the ease and availability of the internet as a research tool and the wealth of information it puts at their fingertips.
Second, it means their cognitive abilities are growing in new and unexpected ways. Research suggests that certain computer-related activities actually aid in the development of neural pathways that enable sharper critical thinking skills, multitasking ability, and creativity, similar to the influence of early exposure to music and language.
Third, early computer use serves as hands-on training for later life, regardless of what career path a child chooses. From handheld devices to the most advanced and specialized processors in use today, nearly every field capitalizes on the increased efficiency that computers allow.
The presence of this technology in a child’s life means not only new and better opportunities, but new risks as well. Part of a parent’s responsibility in this environment is knowing where the potential for danger exists, teaching children the skills to avoid harm, and, as in all areas of life, providing the structure and limits that will keep children safe until they are mature enough to do so themselves.
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