Why parents should use technology to control kids and teenagers
Assignment Instructions
Why parents should use technology to control kids and teenagers
-I need the essay to have strong, clear ideas
-support the refutation section with more evidence
– also want a creative title and an interesting introduction that grabs attention
-A conclusion that provides the reader with a sense of closure
-In conclusion, if possible, introduce a new idea that is related to the essay’s topic
-separate each point to be in an independent paragraph, if possible
**It is an argumentative essay about why parents or someone in charge should use technology to control kids and teenagers
Solution
Parents should use technology to control kids and teenagers
Technology has a wide range of applications that are very beneficial in our lives. It is used in transport, communication, business, industry, and many other fields to make processes more efficient, this makes it practically impossible to survive without technology in this day and age. Children and teenagers have also not been left behind in the use of technology. They not only use it for entertainment but also to gather information which enhances their creativity. However, technology also has some negative impacts in society therefore children should be protected from these impacts.
The internet plays an important role in information and communication technology. It used to convey messages over great distances and acts as a rich source of information for academic research and general knowledge. It has transformed the world into a global village where people are exposed to diverse cultures. It can, however, be used to distort information and send wrong messages especially to kids and teenagers if it is not regulated. Kids could use the internet to access inappropriate adult content which pollutes their young minds and fills them with crazy ideas. Moreover, children run the risk of becoming social misfits because computers quickly replacing children playing activities (Hayes & Whitebread, 2006, p. 40). Parents and guardians should not deny their children the numerous benefits they can get from information available on the internet. Nevertheless, they should keep an eye out for potentially harmful information and protect their children from it.
Courtesy of technology, there are now various forms of indoor recreational activities that kids and teenagers have at their disposal such as playing with video games and tech toys, watching movies and chatting on the internet. Video games that have for a long time been very harmless now pose a threat to children because of unscrupulous business people who market violent video games regardless of the age of their target group (Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007, p. 3). They use video games to popularize violence, reckless behavior, and criminal activities, with video game titles such as ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and ‘Need for Speed Most Wanted’, parents should be really concerned about the impact such games have on their children.
The entertainment industry has similarly been infiltrated by people cruel intentions whose main agenda to corrupt young minds. Teenagers have a tendency of blindly imitating what they see on television, it is therefore up to the parents and guardians to keep what children see in check and provide guidance where necessary. Social networks are an avenue for bad company and peer pressure, these two factors greatly affect a child’s personality without the parent even knowing. Children also interact with many people on social networks including adults who could use this opportunity to take advantage of them. Children should not be allowed to join social networks and if they are allowed to join then parents should sensitize them on these issues.
With the advent of iphones and android smart phones there are very many applications that can help parents to keep track of their children’s movements and activities on social media. They should however not get carried away in their attempt to protect and monitor their children. Some parents go to the extent of installing surveillance cameras in their kids rooms (Goldman, 2013). Such acts amount to invasion of privacy and could culminate a feeling of mistrust between parents and their children. This could result in a situation where children engage in mischief behind their parents’ backs because they cannot monitor their activities around the clock. Parents should cultivate a relationship based on trust and honesty with their children for them to be able to open up for guidance and counseling.
Ultimately, despite the many advantages that come with technology, it also has detrimental impacts on society. Parents and guardians, therefore, have a responsibility to ensure that technology is used for the benefit of their children and that they are safeguarded from its harmful effects. Parents are however not in a position to always monitor what children are exposed to and as such, they should build a relationship with their children based on trust and honesty. They should not give them too much freedom neither should they meddle so much into their privacy. They should ensure that children are guided accordingly on the proper use of technology and endeavor to ensure their morals and attitudes towards life are not corrupted. On the bottom line, parents should use technology to control kids and teenagers.
References
Anderson, C. A., Gentile, D. A., & Buckley, K. E. (2007). Violent video game effects on children and adolescents: theory, research, and public policy. New York: Oxford University Press. https://drdouglas.org/drdpdfs/Gentile_Stone_2005.pdf
Goldman, Ben. “Pursuit Magazine.” Spy Moms: How Parents Use Technology to Monitor Kids 21 Feb 2013: http://pursuitmag.com/spy-moms-how-parents-use-technology-to-monitor-kids/.
Hayes, M., & Whitebread, D. (2006). ICT in the early years. Maidenhead: McGraw Hill. https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=pqXPVc2AVWEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
