It’s 2017, and technology is being used more than ever. Companies are constantly updating, replacing and coming up with new products that are meant to make our lives more efficient. The target consumer for the majority of these products is teenagers and adults. Unfortunately, there is an unintentional negative effect on children associated with technological advancements.
Practically any day I can scroll down my Facebook timeline and find a picture or video of some child doing something outrageous, being encouraged by an older individual.
From attempting one of the many new challenges that emerge almost every week to throwing tantrums and screaming profanities, children have come to dominate a pretty large section of the social media world.
Sure, most of these videos make us laugh, but perhaps we should focus more on what is happening once the camera is off and the antics have grown old.
Parents seem to have the largest hand in this. The 2015 #passiton video campaign done by the children’s shoe company, Start-rite, encouraged families to ease back on technology and spend time outdoors together. The children all revealed their parents spent much of their time on their devices, which made the children feel lonely and ignored.
I’ve personally experienced many instances when a child has been neglected or pushed away once their behavior is no longer deemed funny or interesting. It seems that children are having to fight for everyone’s attention — parents, siblings and other loved ones alike.
I think many children feel they have to act out to receive attention, and in today’s world, that may not be too far from the truth, especially when their competition is our beloved electronic devices.
It’s almost hypocritical that we become so irritated when we see a young child spending his or her day using technology rather than playing outside or with toys because we’re usually the ones they get it from. You can’t speak negatively about today’s youth without also including the source of blame
A 2014 NBC News article discusses a study released in the journal Pediatrics in which 55 caregivers in the Boston area were observed eating and interacting with their children at fast food restaurants. The study showed that 40 out of the 55 caregivers used a mobile device during the meal.
It’s sad that we’ve become so engrossed in our timelines that we find it difficult to pay attention to the younger crowd, who are constantly looking to us for guidance, acceptance and approval.
Harriet Adams is a 20-year-old mass communication sophomore from Bonita, Louisiana.