Adults who are using computers and gadgets all day long would always hate to hold a ballpen because it seems that they have forgotten how to write beautifully. Comfort in handwriting seem an alien feeling already. That is the same thing with kids today as well. Should we be blaming too much proliferation of technology in our kids?
The problem in handwriting was affirmed in Australian children who took the NAPLAN tests, where results showed that Queensland had the second lowest writing test. The score averages were accross years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The nationwide results showed a significant decline in writing results for years 7 and 9.
Today, one out of three U.S. kids can use a mobile phone or tablet before they can actually talk. The Dailymail reported in 2013 that "29 percent of children use tech gadgets as toddlers and 70 percent master them completely by primary school age. Three years later, in the preseant to be exact, the figures have become more staggering. What is happening to our kids today? Is it a good thing or not?
Televisions are actually not very good for kids since some symptoms of ADHD are said to be coming from too much watching of television. That is why in 1999 the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended to all parents to prohibit TV for all kids under 2 and restrict only two hours a day for older kids. Now smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles just came in uncontrollably.
A child's brain develops rapidly at the age of five and as Aristotle said, the first seven years of a child is very crucial. If a child grows up with all those gadgets, it may lead to serious divided attention and lack of focus on what is important. The possible outcome would be an impeded language and some serious social and emotional development problems. Gadgets can make kids more distracted most of the time and moody as well.
The worst thing that can happen to the kids today is for them to grow emotionless. UCLA says it is possible to see these kids be blinded from emotions of other people. They can become almost like robots sooner or later.
Kids should be taught to write again with their bare hands. They should play games that are more physical. Otherwise we will see a generation of emotionless robotic kids in the later years.
