This is a question I think most parents ask themselves at one time or another, especially in what we call the electronic age. What effect does early exposure to these gadgets have on a developing mind? Does it prevent an active lifestyle? Should our kids spend more time running around outside playing with their friends like we did? Or do the benefits that using these things early in life bring outweigh the negatives?
I’ve owned and played with computers for almost 30 years now. I had a Playstation 1, and Playstation 2 and now have both a Playstation 3 and Playstation 4. Both SO (my wife) and I both have smart phones and our household has 3 iPads, and iPad 1, iPad 2 and iPad Air 2.
With all these gadgets around the house it was inevitable that our son J would end up playing with them and using them, both for entertainment and education. And from an early age we’ve allowed J to use them, under supervision of course, we’re not so ignorant as to allow him total freedom with them, there’s to much negative stuff out there.
In a lot of ways I think this was a good idea, his language ability for example is above his age level and he has a more mature way of thinking and processing information than most kids his age. Or maybe I’m just biased, but friends, family and even his teachers have confirmed this, so maybe there is some truth to it.
Of course this may not be because of his exposure to electronic gadgets, it may be because of his genes or just the environment that SO and I have created. We’ve always talked to him as we talk to each other, explaining things and encouraging him to think about consequences, cause and effect, responsibilities and so on.
But I digress, the point of this article is the relationship between J and electronics. Earlier this year he started 2nd grade and it became apparent early on that whatever benefits his exposure to electronic gadgets was giving it was also having a negative effect on his behaviour.
You see, we had been allowing him to use the iPads, Playstations and PC every day of the week, but what we found is that his bedtime was becoming more of a problem. Up to this time there had been indications but it had never really been a problem. He was becoming angry and not wanting to go to bed at his usual time, and it was obvious that it was because of his usage of the electronics.
We had to do something.
So we took them away. At first we took them away for 2 weeks with none being allowed to be used. By the end of the two weeks he was back to his normal happy self and he was going to bed without problem and he was spending his time reading more (he’s always loved reading) and playing with his toys more. After that we set down the guidelines that we have continued to follow since. From Monday to Friday he has no electronics, except for watching TV and some computer time (which he uses to play some games and do school related study). On Friday night he gets access to the iPad, and on Saturday he can play on the Playstation. He can play on these during the weekend, but on Sunday night he gives them back and can’t use them until the next weekend. During school and public holidays he has access to them.
What we’ve found is that even when he has access to them he chooses, more often than before the system was put in place, to play with his toys, read or just watch some TV. Overall this seems to have helped him and he’s become more well rounded and has a wider variety of interests than before.
I don’t know if this system would work for others, although trying it couldn’t hurt, but it has shown me that some sort of limitation and forcing other avenues for entertainment is beneficial and we have no intention of going back to the way it was before, no matter how much I miss being able to play some games during the week (this may have hurt me more than it did J)