Technology has many important uses in our world, and we interact with it several times daily. To say that technology is all bad and only causes harm would be untruthful. Technology serves a purpose, even among young people, i.e. education, connecting with family and friends, and of course, entertainment.
However, as we know there are risks to technology use.
So, what are some important things to remember when engaging with our screens?
- Technology is designed to be engaging, making it hard to put it down.
- Technology use should be balanced with offline activities. This is important for our socialization, daily movement, sleep hygiene, eating habits and our overall health and wellbeing.
- Only access age-appropriate content. This can be determined by family rules, or through reliable media rating systems.
- Technology use has been linked to certain diagnoses including anxiety, depression as well as dependency/addiction issues.
- Do not share any personal details or pictures on-line, or with individuals you do not actually know.
- Keep in mind WHAT you are engaging with ... and HOW you are engaging with it ... when accessing on-line spaces.
For these reasons, it is encouraged that families maintain an open dialogue about technology use and goals to ensure that everyone uses technology in the safest and healthiest way possible.
Try to fill your loved ones in on what apps you are accessing, what games you are playing and what content you are seeing on your on-line spaces.