Many kids and teens possess study habits of simply sitting on the floor or bed working on laptops or tablets for hours on end. This position poses a very dangerous position for the young child to carry out the necessary work for the day. Instead of focusing on what needs to be learned, they instead become fixated on their own positioning. This in turn results in poor posture and the likelihood of acquiring osteoporosis as an adult.
The bad news is that it’s not just adolescents who need to pay close attention to how much time they spend using computers. Many kids and teens spend a great deal of time playing video games. It’s not uncommon to see kids checking their email or Facebook for a few minutes before school, during lunch, or after dinner. They may then play games for much of the evening and throughout the weekends. If you don’t stop and consider just how much time kids are spending playing computer games, it’s easy to see why they can quickly reach the point where they are physically harming themselves.
The physical dangers of too much time spent on a computer are obvious, but what about the psychological dangers? Kids and teens who spend too much time glued to their monitors may develop serious anxiety disorders, especially if they spend too much time on games or social networking sites that are considered to be “too intellectual” for their age group. Teens who spend so much time online may also be more prone to engage in risky behaviors like skipping school, using drugs or other illicit substances, and participating in criminal activities that range from shoplifting to carjacking.
There are steps you can take to protect your kids from the dangers of online predators. First and foremost, make sure your kids have a computer that receives a lot of adult traffic. To attract more mature web surfers, you may want to block out certain websites. Also, make sure they know not to give out their personal information, such as a password, over the internet. Only give them the information they need when you feel it is necessary.
If you are concerned about your kid’s online activity, talk to them about it. Ask them about their use of chat rooms, social networks, and other websites. Talk with them about the dangers of these websites. Explain to your child that you are concerned and that you would like them to be careful. But remember, your child is just young enough to learn new things. So teach your child how to protect their identity at home, but also teach them that they need to be careful at school and around their peers.
If you feel that you’ve done everything you can to protect your kids, it’s still a good idea to watch out for predators. There are many predators out there who prey on kids, and they prey primarily on younger kids. This makes it very important that you learn what to look for and how to act if you think your child might be in danger.
Although there are some real dangers to kids and teens using social media, there are also plenty of benefits. First of all, social media allows parents to keep track of what their children are doing. While there are dangers, social media can also offer a great way for kids to make friends and meet new people. You can do this through the social media websites, such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Some parents even use parental controls so that they can keep their kids away from inappropriate content.
Finally, you should make sure that your kids understand the difference between what is appropriate and what is inappropriate. This is especially important when it comes to social media websites. Many parents have learned that their child can become a target for bullies if they show their interests in something that goes against the parents’ strictures on TV shows, movies, and school projects.