It is without a doubt that the internet is a wonderful place for people of all ages. However, you need to be extra sure about safety when your children are using the internet. Even though there are certain Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Windstream that give you very strong parental controls so that you could monitor your child’s internet usage, as a parent you still need to do your part. So be sure to head on to Kinetic Internet to get a secure internet connection as soon as possible. Click here to learn more about their services and the parental control they offer.
Coming back to the internet’s influence on children, here are some ways that the internet can have an impact (both negative and positive) on your kids and why you should be keeping a lookout:
Keeping up to speed with everything that’s happening around
While being on the internet, your children can actually learn things that are of benefit to them. It is not necessary that they only use the internet to access apps such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, rather they could use the internet to be aware of new ideas floated around on the internet and information that they didn’t have before. Similarly, if your children are mature enough, they could also develop an interest in the political situation of different places in the world.
At the same time, your children could also be a part of positive activities such as playing an essential part in the betterment of the environment and even keeping up to speed with social issues and being a part of the solution.
The Communicative Benefit of using the Internet
Let’s just say you are away from your kids and need to talk to them, getting them a phone plan would be a bit expensive, right? That is wherae the internet kicks in and you can give them access so that they could communicate not just with you but with other important friends and relatives as well. The internet has always been quite helpful to keep families connected no matter what the distance may be.
The internet can be used to run apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and a lot of other apps that could be used to be constantly in contact with each other. While using WhatsApp, you cannot only text but can make audio and video calls as well.
The Possibilities of Cyberbullying
Gone are the times when bullying was only done in school, in the internet era, we can see a lot of cyberbullies as well. The principle is pretty much the same as the regular kind of bullying you would see in schools, the only difference is that cyberbullying is done behind a screen while using the internet. Cyberbullying usually involves picking on someone’s insecurities to the point that they become aggravated.
While someone might hold back while bullying someone in person, the thing with the internet is that people usually don’t tend to hold back. They hide behind a persona or a fake account and they bully people online only because they have self-esteem issues themselves. Therefore, it is important that you keep a check on your children and see who they are talking to while on the internet.
Physical Implications that Children could face
There are also some potential health issues that children might face if they spend too much time on the internet on devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, or even PCs. Some of these health issues include migraines that may become regular over time. Similarly, having too much screen time can also result in your child having weaker eyesight, and developing the need for glasses. If your child does not have a proper posture while they are sitting in front of the screen, they may also develop chronic back pains. Not just that but sitting in one place can also cause them to gain weight, which may lead to obesity if it is not dealt with properly.
Another major issue that is seen due to the excessive use of the internet is sleep disorders. Many children tend to use the internet late at night, especially on their mobile phones. This causes problems in their sleep pattern and they don’t end up receiving much sleep, which causes their brain to exhaust.
Loss of privacy and predators
One of the negative implications of the internet on the young generation is the loss of privacy. Children don’t usually know how to set their privacy settings and can also be manipulated pretty easily. Sex offenders and other criminals can take advantage of that and lure children into sharing their sensitive information, sexting, and ways that can be disturbing to not just the kids but their families as well. While parents can limit the use of certain sites, criminals can find their way into chatrooms and even online games to get into contact with children and exploit them.
Decreased Real Life Interactions
As weird as it may sound, ever since the internet has gotten common in every household, there has been decreased interaction among family members and friends in real life. People much rather prefer talking to each other through the internet, which includes children as well. This decreases interpersonal interaction skills and also reduces confidence in children. And since today’s kids are spending more of their time in cyberspace, they are at a much higher risk of developing social anxiety and antisocial tendencies.
Wrapping Up
While the internet may be seen as a blessing, it can also prove to be a nuisance at the same time. On one hand, we have a lot of perks of our children using the internet, but on the other, there are also a lot of flaws that cannot go ignored. This is the part where you make sure that your ISP gives you the maximum parental controls so that you could keep an eye on your children’s online activity until they’re mature enough and also teach your kids how to use the internet for their benefit and what and what not to do in the digital space.
