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On How Internet Has Changed Habits and Activities of Kids

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Just like Internet has vividly changed and revolutionized the lives of us adults, same is the case with the kids, be they toddlers, kids or teen-agers. Just like any other parents, we want the best of everything for our kids. And when it comes to the most-wanted amenity of Internet, we tend to pick the best of all the available options. Internet has a strong influence on activities, sporting dynamics and habits of kids. From being outdoor-friendly and freedom-lovers to becoming glued to the gadget screens, Internet has completely transformed the interests of children. Being residents of this contemporary Digital Age, you would barely find a household that doesn’t have a steady Internet connection, primarily because it is considered as basic as any other utility. So, if you are that conscious parent, who wants the best of everything for your kids, search about the best Internet Providers in your area, along with a thorough reading of their offered features.

Change in Sporting Dynamics

If we look at how the sporting dynamics of kids have changed, we would realize that Internet has even managed to change some of instinctive habits of children. Children are free-spirited and love it outdoors, but not anymore. Internet has come up with a massive number of online games, that our beloved children are addicted to. Play stations, Xbox, and online gaming on the smartphones has largely replaced the outdoor and physical sports. This has actually a bad impact of children’s health and growth in many ways.

Having no contact with the nature has greatly hindered their creative and imaginative faculties. As kids, we (parents) used to enjoy inventing our own games, from pretending to be flying on the flying mat somewhere in the skies, to jumping and splashing in muddy puddles, to cycling all the possible neighborhood streets, we enjoyed a childhood that we will always cherish and miss, full of freedom and creative imagination, that diminished as we aged. This (lack of creative imagination) is actually what is happening to our kids before they even aged, being victims of the Internet Obsessions.

Make sure that you manage to expose nature to your children, as much as you can. And try and limit their screen times to the safe amount of time. For instance, for children between 2 and 5 years, the declared safe screen-time by general health experts is approximately around 1 hour only.

Change in Educational Researches and Modes

Just like the sporting dynamics, modes of education and educational researches have also changed. From conducting researches in the school library, which was a healthy practice because it inculcated book-reading habit in kids, that essentially increases their intellectual level, along with giving them exposure to so many informative pieces, kids have shifted to the online mode of researching. Not that it is not a good or constructive practice, but still, nothing matches the stereotypical book-reading habit, at all.

Internet has, without a doubt, made educational researches convenient and easy, with forums like Google (that is considered the messiah of modern age), that gives you the answers of every possible question that you may have. But then again, it has hindered the very capability of children to become good learners through hit and trial and coming up with opinions and authentic views of their own. Because when you search something on Google, it is bound to change and form your opinion about a particular thing through the massive number of articles and pieces that it offers, with a single click.

Being owners of their own private tablets and gadgets, children have become rather independent in browsing and surfing the related content and most parents take pride in their online and gadget skills.

Change in Entertainment Modes

Other than gaming, other entertainment modes of kids have also changed. Back when we were kids, we loved to co-play with kids in the neighborhood, or loved the idea of visitors that have kids, so basically, the best entertainment for us as kids was, to have more and more kids to play with. But the contemporary, advanced kids prefer their own secluded and private space, mainly with their gadget and perhaps, their favorite snack.

From a mighty number of rhythmical rhymes and cartoon/animated movies on different Internet-based forums such as YouTube, Vimeo and the likes, children love to see stuff online (and not even on the shared Smart TV that is uselessly standing there in your living room). There are actually kids that are quite young but are thoroughly familiar with social media sites and forums.

Certain Tips for Parents

Keeping in consideration the aforementioned factors, we have some quick and easy tips for you, if you want to be efficient and well-aware parents. Keep a regular check on their gadgets’ web history, since Internet is packed with entertainment stuff that may be inappropriate for your children. Being naïve and innocent, children are not aware of the fact that not all online content is appropriate for them. This is where your role as parents come in. Make them well-aware of the permissible categories and then keep a check, and see if the training is working or not. And as suggested earlier, do limit their screen/gadgets time, and ensure that they are active participants of other healthy activities, such as outdoor sports, getting familiar with other kids, reading books and getting in touch with nature, so on and so forth.

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