There are 4 phrases that, according to a tech education expert, you should never say to a child
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousThe new generations of children risk being addicted to smartphones and, more generally, having a sick relationship with technology. As parents we also have responsibility for this aspect of their life but we must be careful about the language we use. A tech education expert reveals what phrases to avoid.
The way we talk to our children can make a difference in many aspects of our and their lives, including their relationship with technology. Relating to them correctly is important, considering that the use of technology can have a huge impact on their ability to become intelligent and empathetic adults.
There is now a lot of research that suggests limiting the time children spend in front of the screen, but it is equally important to help our children find balance in their relationship with technology as well.
Easier said that done.
Richard Culatta, a technology education expert, author of books and the head of the Office of Educational Technology of the United States Department of Education during the Obama presidency, suggests that avoid four very common phrases, giving examples of what it would be better to say as an alternative to children.
Index
You are addicted to your smartphone
This statement is widely used but, in the case of children, it is a confusing message. Most of the time, by the way, it is not the device itself that is addictive, but a particular app or website which, if used continuously, can create imbalance or even addiction.
How then to reformulate this statement? Dr. Culatta suggests specifying what the real concern is, which is that the child isolates himself from the real world in this way.
For example, we can say:
- It doesn't look like you've been exercising yet today
- I noticed that you haven't spent time with your family since you got home from school; let's do it so as to balance the way you spend the day
You've been playing that game for too long
This statement focuses on the amount of time children spend on a single digital activity. This is not good because it does not address what is wrong with this activity and, among other things, they may notice that in other situations you may not make the same observations (for example if you are watching a movie).
According to the expert, it can be rephrased as follows:
- It seems this game is getting your attention more than it deserves, as it is mainly based on repetition and luck.
Stop sitting at your computer all day
This is a particularly confusing message if the suggestion for a surrogate activity is reading a book, for example, which is intellectually better but physically not.
In this case, in practice, the reason given “stop sitting” makes no sense for a child who is offered an alternative activity in which he is still sitting.
We need to be more specific about why the activity is considered unbalanced.
It can be rephrased as follows:
- If your concern is that they don't spend enough time reading, you can discuss the importance of having time for this activity (even through a device) every day.
- If the concern is the need for physical activity, it should be pointed out that it is good to find a time to go for a bike ride or a run.
You have to interact with real people
Telling a child to detach from the smartphone to spend time with real people does not make sense, since even with devices you can actually interact with real people (indeed you can do it with many more people) even if in a different way.
Examples of reworded statements:
- Your family also wants to have a chance to spend some time with you
- It's nice to have in-person interactions with your friends too
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Source: CNBC
Read also:
- Too much time in front of cell phones, tablets and TVs radically changes children's brains, the study
- 10 reasons why kids shouldn't abuse smartphones and tablets
- 8 phrases you should never say to a child
- How to avoid raising a materialistic child by working on his generosity
- Gestures, rules and habits that children really need
