Technology has made it possible to keep the world connected 24/7, whether a person is using mobile phones, iPads, or laptops. The most dynamic groups of the well-connected people comprise of teenagers who are linked with friends throughout the day via the internet. With this, the concept of coming home to one’s family has also changed drastically where physically connecting with family has taken a back seat. Children who are over dependent on technology are capable of ignoring the dangers of the internet and parents should step in to inform them about the threats.

Technology to rule them all

A recent survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found out that over the past five years, children between the ages of 8 to 18 have increased the amount of time they spend consuming media by 1 hour and 17 minutes a day (rise from 6 hours and 21 minutes to 7 hours and 38 minutes). It is roughly equivalent to the amount of time that parents spend at work.

"The more time kids spend in front of screens, the more inactive they are," said Gwenn O'Keeffe, MD, a pediatrician and author of CyberSafe: Protecting and Empowering Kids in the Digital World of Texting, Gaming and Social Media.

Caught in the web

On duty, all the time: Teenagers sign into social networks and forget to sign out. This is not much different from the time when parents keep the keys to the car somewhere and then forget the location. On the other hand, teens remember most things but tend to forget certain important ones. Teens are “on-call” status all day and all night long which can indicate obligation, dependency on others, and even addiction to remain connected all the time.

Obligations of a different kind: Children believe that being available to peers at all times is essential to maintain good ties with them. The concept is taken too far when teens have to be available to friends 24/7, which literally means that they have to sleep with their phones under the pillow, in case someone calls for help.

The self-esteem of kids is highly influenced by trends of peer acceptance but it can still prove difficult to be always on the lookout for friends.

Outside the range of radio waves

Teenagers can reap the benefits of a family life where the parents have specific rules for cell phone usage. Though parents from such families would support healthy peer connections but they would also expect everyone to switch off their phones and computers when coming to the dinner table.

Further, it is equally beneficial for teenagers to share their experiences with parents and siblings by going out on long drives, making repairs at home, or going for a small hike. The need for parents to implement some parental control on their kids’ electronic devices is necessary in this fast-paced world of ours.

You should also discuss the uses of mobile phones with your kids which seem like a better alternative than monitoring them all the time. This means shutting off phones at 11 PM max to enjoy a good night’s sleep.

Happily disconnected

When a kid is connected to friends in the present times, it means that the margin of getting disconnected remains dissolved. Teenagers should make it a point to enjoy a downtime away from the reach of everyday hustle and bustle. Enjoying private time without interference can activate the brain to efficiently sort through information, make connections between ideas and reflect upon oneself.

We have provided all the basic necessities of life to our children and given them the freedom to connect with citizens of the world. It is our duty then to also teach our offspring the essentials, including privacy, balance, space, responsibility, and keeping themselves safe in the Infosphere.