Are children being negatively impacted by technology?

Dr. Jean Twenge, a doctor who writes for The Atlantic, says that iGen, the generation of kids born in the 2000s, is facing a big mental health crisis. She thinks a lot of this is because of their phones.

Some parents are so worried about their kids spending too much time on screens that they're taking drastic actions. You can find many videos online of parents bursting into their kids' rooms, unplugging their computers or game systems, and breaking them to pieces to make a point.

I get why parents are upset. When my daughter was little, she used to beg for iPad time all the time. If we didn't give it to her immediately, she'd get louder and louder until we caved in. As she got older, she started spending too much time on silly games and videos.

I've seen other parents struggle with this too. Sometimes we go out to eat with friends and their kids are glued to their phones the whole time, making things awkward.

The Challenge of Widely Accepted Beliefs and Easy Misconceptions

Many parents blame technology for their kids' behavior issues, but is that the problem? Could it be something else causing the distractions?

Parents often believe myths to explain why their kids misbehave. For example, some think that overeating sugar makes kids hyper. However, research shows that sugar doesn't affect behavior. In one study, moms were told their sons had sugar, and they rated their behavior as more hyperactive - even though they were given a placebo. The moms were more critical of their kids when they thought they were on a "sugar high."

Parents believe in a lot of myths, like the idea that teenagers are always rebellious. People think that teens act out because of their crazy hormones and still developing brains. However, studies have shown that in many societies, especially ones without a lot of technology, teens spend most of their time with adults and aren't as rebellious as we think. Historians have even said that in the past, the teen years were a peaceful time of growing up.

We've been blaming new technology for messing up our kids for a long time. Back in 1565, a scientist was worried that books would cause problems. In 1883, people thought that public education would ruin children's brains and bodies. And in 1936, kids were criticized for being distracted by the radio while doing their homework. It seems like every generation thinks that there's a crisis with young people, but really, it's been happening for a long time.

Is technology taking over kids' minds or ruining a whole generation? Some experts think that the impact of technology on our children is more complicated than we think. Dr. Sarah Rose Cavanagh wrote in Psychology Today that smartphones and social media might have both good and bad effects on kids. She said that how you use technology when you use it, and what else is going on in your life can all affect how it impacts you.

In 2017, Dr. Christopher Ferguson found that there wasn't a big link between screen time and depression. He said that it's important to have a balanced approach to screen time, but it might not be the main cause of problems in kids. When looking at studies that connect screen time to depression, it seems like only kids who spend a lot of time online have more negative thoughts. But maybe those kids have other issues going on in their lives that make them spend so much time online.

A study done by Dr. Andrew Przybylski at the Oxford Internet Institute looked at how much time teens spend on screens and how it affects their well-being. Surprisingly, even when teens use screens a lot, it only has a small impact on how they feel. Dr. Przybylski said it's kind of like missing breakfast or not getting enough sleep. But, the study also found that too little screen time, like an hour or less, can also make teens feel bad. So, it's all about finding a balance between too much and too little screen time. Sometimes, parents like to blame things like sugar or technology when their kids act up. But really, it's not always about outside factors - sometimes kids just do weird things because, well, they're kids.

Teach children the importance of balance in using screens effectively

Technology is a big part of our lives, just like how sugar is a big part of our favorite treats. But blaming technology for kids' behavior is like blaming sugar for making us hyper. It's just a quick and easy excuse that doesn't get to the root of the problem. We need to dig deeper to understand why kids act the way they do.

When it came to my daughter, my wife and I wanted to help her manage her screen time. It's not about technology being evil, but about making sure she has time for other fun things too, like hanging out with friends or playing outside. We taught her how to stay focused and not get distracted by her gadgets. And most importantly, we showed her how to have a healthy balance with technology by setting a good example ourselves.