Parents Should Teach Young Children Proper Internet Browsing Habits

[Fam Times reporter Lee Kyung-han] Children today experience advanced IT devices such as smartphones, and children are better at using computers than older adults.

Children sometimes access the internet on their parents' smartphones, and parents may feel guilty about giving them a way to go online.

If children get in the way while their parents are cleaning the house, simply handing them a smartphone for a while can bring some peace and quiet. The parents can then focus on what they were doing.

These technological devices are causing confusion for both parents and children. Some even interact with their smartphones more frequently than with their families.

Katie Toma recognized this problem while watching her 13-year-old son, Eric Lasard. Toma wanted to help parents raising children in the digital age, so she began teaching digital parenting classes at Giz Academy.

Regarding this issue, David Hill, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media, said, “Children enjoy these things because they are highly stimulating. It is like begging for more candy. Our job as parents is to help children set limits. Few people learn to limit themselves naturally.”

It is fine for children to access the internet, but parents should supervise them. Toma said parents cannot prevent their children from being exposed to the internet.

Parents therefore need to find a compromise. For example, they can play games with their children and learn who their children interact with and what games they play. Parents should also observe how their children approach gaming.

“I am learning how to step away from electronic devices and spend time with my family,” said Genesis Gonzalez, a 12-year-old who attends Kids Academy.

Reporter Lee Kyung-han, fam1@pcss.co.kr