As a parent in this millennial generation, you realise much sooner than later that you run the risk of raising your child in a world where technology abounds.
Technology has grown so wide, that it is in almost all facets, and despite the fact that it comes with its advantages and ease of doing things faster, raising a child in a world that is being renewed daily and gradually losing touch with the old requires extra effort.
Here are ways to raise your kid in this a wireless word.
Embrace technology: Accept the fact that technology is going to be around for a very long time. Instead of banning it from your home, teach your kid the positive purpose, when and how to use it. Kids would definitely need the skill in future, do not shield them from the world’s technological advances but instead, encourage them to use technology in a positive way and with the fullest potential.
Practice showing, not telling: If you are going to speak about moderation and the benefits of technology, you might as well show them. More than anything, kids learn from what they say. Show them that you are a moderate user so that they can be a moderate user too.
Help them develop their mind: The thing about technology is that it does almost all the work for you. It unburdens your mind and takes it upon itself to be the creative self-sufficient, problem-solving person that it is. Help your kids unbox their mind and work on their imagination. At an early stage, use kids picture books which are designed to develop your kids’ reading ability and assist them to explore their imagination. Check out The Works’ website for their variety of books to help you keep your kids entertained in other ways.
Establish age restrictions: It is best to put a certain embargo and age limit to the usage of certain internet services. For instance, you could say, the eligible age to open a Facebook account is 14, Instagram could be 15 and Twitter 16, whichever age limit you see it and find appropriate.
Give yourselves timeout: Take a break from texting and face timing and encourage face to have conversations. Have an intimate family outing where you both leave gadgets at home and enjoy nature and heartfelt conversations. Let your kids know and respect verbal communication and this will help them to conquer both the online and offline world.
Teach them confidence: In today’s world of technology, acceptance and the value of a person and their self-worth is directly linked to the number of likes and other online features. Train your kid that they do not need the internet to define themselves or equate their worth.
Parenting in the world today requires a healthy balance to resolve, and a little bend. Know when to give in and when not to give. Establish ground rules and state key values that should be upheld in your homes, that way, they grow with what they have been taught.
