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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Social Media Is Harming Children's Development – What Can Parents Do?

Author: Eugene Lawrence
Social media has become one of the major community developments in the last century. From business to entertainment, the prevalence of social media has penetrated every aspect of society. This significant communication change has alarmed certain researchers, and newly published findings are catching the attention of concerned parents across Australia.

The Australian Communication and Media Authority, www.acma.gov.au, have conducted extensive research into the use of technology across various age groups. Their findings are particularly interesting for children under the age of 14. 16% of children from 8–14 had access to a computer in their bedroom, and one in ten children had access to the internet in their bedroom. These figures only include access to a computer in their private room, thereby this does not include access to public computers, and computers in living areas.

The use of social networking sites has increased exponentially in the last decade. Whereas in 2000, children and teenagers were primarily using the internet for listening to music, and playing games, accessing social networking sites is now the dominant portion of time spent online by minors. To illustrate the prevalence of minors using social networking sites, a snapshot of children from 12-14 years of age showed that 48% used social networking sites regularly.

What are the dangers of social networking? A survey by Consumer Reports, www.consumerreports.org, revealed that fifteen percent of individuals surveyed had posted their current location or travel plans, 34 percent their full birth date, and 21 percent of those with children at home had posted those children's names and photos. Revealing this personal information can lead to being a victim of a cyber or physical crime. Especially young ones, who may be unaware of the risks associated with revealing this information, can be vulnerable.

So is the increase of children using technology, and specifically social media having an impact on their development? Baroness Greenfield, of Oxford University, has stated that the decline in actual physical human contact meant children struggled to formulate basic social skill and normal emotional reactions. She was also troubled by the addiction, that she highlighted was "unhealthy", to social networks such Twitter, which has led to emotional outbursts, and the ongoing plague of trolling online. The supposed anonymity of individuals has caused many individuals to vent, and attack innocent victims while not thinking of the consequences of their actions. Parents can establish boundaries for limiting the use of technology and social media, and should regularly educate their children on the dangers of revealing too much information online.

Parents are not ignorant of the implications that social media is having on their developing children, so communities of mothers are collaborating to ensure that mothers are aware of the potential affects of social networking addiction. Researchers have focused attention on how parents can utilise the developing years of children in order to formulate social skills.

annieB's is a small table linen and homewares retailer based in Sydney, Australia. As a mother of two, the director of the company has been dedicated to developing products that inculcate proper social skills and improve imagination in developing brains. She says "I absolutely love playing games with children and tapping into their imagination. Play is how children learn and is a great avenue for parents and caregivers to promote a child' s development." annieB's has developed a range of children's toys and playthings that will provide parents an opportunity to engage in creative and educational playtime that both parents and children will love". annieB's has developed a creative range of childrens puppet theatres and a unique PlayPalace that not only encourages creative play, but also involves children in active play, which is essential for balanced development.

Creative playtime can help children to learn proper communication skills, encourage balanced emotions and lead to general improvement in creativity.
Article Source: Here
About the Author
The author reccomends using playtime to develop creativity, imagination and communication skills. Simple games using a childrens puppet theatre can help develop stronger family bonds, and will inculcate neccersary small group communication skills.
    StarBuzz, Toronto-

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