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Is your Young Child Ready for the Computer?
By J Gardener
In less than two decades, home computers have become a necessary part of life
for most people. In the twenty-first century, computer literacy is as important
as reading itself. We all remember how daunting the computer seemed, the first
time we clicked a mouse. Most parents of young children today touched their
first computer as teens, and have no first-hand experience regarding the right
age at which to begin training their own children in computer usage. But a
parent can't help feeling a certain pride, watching a three-year-old navigate a
game program.
We want our kids to have every advantage possible, and the computer is
certainly the most comprehensive educational tool available, today. At the same
time, we have to ask ourselves-how young is too young?
Unfortunately, behavioral scientific studies take years to complete, and so
far, there's no concensus among experts about the computer's effect on young
children. However, many organizations do provide some common-sense guidelines
for parents.
According to KidSource.com, many researchers discourage computer use before
the age of three: "Computers simply do not match their learning style". Children
under three learn about the world through their senses-taste, touch, sight and
sound-and it's difficult for them to focus attention for any length of time.
There are game programs available for kids as young as two, which concentrate on
cause-and-effect actions; when the mouse is moved and clicked at a certain
point, a noise occurs or a picture appears. However, a child slapping the
bathwater, to make a noise and a splash, can be just as developmentally
valuable, if not more so, because it involves more of a complete sensory
experience.
Most experts agree that, by the age of three or four, kids are ready to begin
exploring the computer, as long as they are supervised by parents or caregivers.
According to SesameWorkshop.org, the ability to control technology can be a
valuable lesson at this age. As well, computer games for preschoolers can offer
valuable lessons in counting, spelling, and classification.
What parents must guard against is using the computer as the only surrogate
teacher. Some seminal studies have shown that a fairly sizable percentage of
today's high-school students, who grew up dependent on computers, feel
uncomfortable with the "mechanics" of arithmetic (two things plus two things
actually make four things) and spelling (without spell-check).
Parents must also weigh the physical effects of computer use. Obviously, the
child accustomed to achieving entertainment and amusement solely through the
computer is less active than the child who can derive pleasure from physical
activity. If a child's computer experience isn't monitored for correct
ergonomics, poor posture can develop, early, and be difficult to correct,
later.
Eyestrain is also an important consideration about which parents must be
vigilant. Twenty minutes to a half-hour in front of a computer monitor is
probably as much time as children should spend, without a break.
And, of course, internet usage should be closely monitored by parents at all
times.
Computers will continue to advance, even in ways we still haven't begun to
fathom. With careful training, at an early age, our children can live lives
enhanced by computers, rather than dominated by them.
About the Author This article was brought to you by Imaginary Greetings, a regular contributor of valuable family oriented content. For a safe and fun place online for your children this holiday season visit the official Santa Claus Web Site.
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