Internet addiction in children
Today’s children play less and less on the street and more and more often “hang out” on the Internet. How to keep them safe and prevent addiction?
February 10 2019
Computer evolution is taking place before our eyes, we are its direct participants. It is impossible to exclude children from the process, and the fact that they are interested in virtual reality is normal. To prohibit them from using the Internet means to limit their ability to explore the world. If you are told that it is impossible to surf the Internet for more than a certain number of hours, do not believe: the generation of the 2000s, who did not find a world without the Internet, until they grew up, there is not enough data to draw conclusions. The exception is doctors, but their recommendations take into account harm only to health.
Even when a child spends several hours at the computer, this does not mean that he is addicted. It is necessary to sound the alarm if the baby begins to behave strangely, you just have to pick up the gadget. Withdrawal syndrome develops, as with any addiction: mood worsens, tachycardia or bradycardia appear, ringing in the ears. The baby is experiencing motor restlessness, cannot sit still. He is thrown into heat or cold, palms sweat, there is a breakdown. There are no universal recommendations on how to deal with an adversity; addiction can only be cured with the help of a specialist. It is much easier to prevent its appearance, for this you need to take preventive measures.
Analyze how dependent you are. Children are imitators. If after work you like to read news feeds on social networks, and dad himself is not averse to playing online, it is unlikely that the child will not become “stuck” on the Internet in the same way. Work on yourself, set an example for the kid – do not use gadgets at home unnecessarily.
Don’t make a valuable prize out of your computer. Do not threaten your child with being denied access to the Internet if they misbehave. Children come to a world where virtual technology is an integral part of life. As you open the world of animals or sports to a crumb, you should also open the computer world to him, teach him the rules of behavior. The Internet is a way to get information, just one item on a long list of things to do in your free time, but not a reward. And remember: parents do not take away gadgets from young children, but give them for a certain time. In personal use, technology should not be.
Teach your child to keep himself occupied, to find entertainment on his own. It’s not about recording a crumb in such a number of sections that there simply won’t be time for a smartphone. The mugs are needed, but they cannot compete with the computer universe. In the first years of a baby’s life, everything depends on the parents, he must see that they have other interests besides the Internet, at least caring for house plants. As you grow up, track what you enjoy doing and reward. Have you noticed that you are staring at kites – buy or make, show that they can be of different shapes. Let the kid experiment, create his own worlds, and not immerse himself in the virtual one.
ADVICE FROM KASPERSKY LABORATORY
Especially for healthy-food-near-me.com, Kaspersky Lab’s expert on child safety on the Internet Maria Namestnikova compiled a memo on how to keep children safe online.
1. Install a reliable anti-virus program. This will help protect your child’s computer and other devices from malware, account hacking, and other dangerous scenarios.
2. Teach kids the basics of online safety. Depending on your age, use different methods (educational books, games, cartoons or just a conversation) to tell what they may encounter on the Internet: computer viruses, fraud, cyberbullying, etc. And also explain what is allowed and what dangerous to do on the internet. For example, you cannot leave a phone number or indicate a school number on social networks, download music or games on suspicious sites, add strangers to your “friends”.
3. Use special tools to keep your young children safe from inappropriate content. The internal settings of social networks or app stores, as well as special programs for online child safety, are all designed specifically to help parents understand their children.
4. Set a time limit for online games and gadgets. This can be done using built-in functions in game consoles or parental control programs. At the same time, be sure to explain to your child why you are doing this. It should not seem to him that this is due to the harmfulness of the parents.
5. Show your child the useful side of the Internet. It can be various cognitive and educational programs, interactive books, help for school activities. Let the child see the functions of the network that are useful for his development and learning.
6. Tell your child about cyberbullying (online bullying). Explain to him that in the event of a conflict situation, he should certainly turn to you for help. If your son or daughter does face this threat, stay calm and reassure the child. Block the cyber-attacker and report the incident to the representatives of the social network. Help your child change their social media profile settings so the abuser no longer bothers him. Do not criticize in any way and be sure to support your child in this difficult situation for him.
7. Find out if your child is playing massively multiplayer online games. If he is still small enough (each game has an age rating that you should pay attention to), but already shows interest in them, talk to him. A total ban on such games is likely to cause a protest in the child, but it would be nice to explain to him what the main disadvantages of such games are and why it is better to postpone acquaintance with them until the age indicated by the developers.
8. Use functions Family Sharing… They will require your confirmation for any child purchases in the app store. To control the download and purchase of games on your PC, install a special application for the purchase and installation of games, such as Steam.