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Today’s kids will never know a world without technology at their fingertips. They’re growing up in the digital age, and technology will only continue to advance and move forward. As a parent, it’s important to learn and grow with tech, too, especially when it comes to keeping up with your kids. 

Growing up in a digital age could affect early childhood development. There are so many good things to love about technology, but there’s also no denying that increased internet access, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT) impact children’s lives. 

So, what can you do to implement technology into your parenting while keeping your kids safe? How can you foster a healthy relationship between your kids and digital devices while ensuring they’re growing along with it? 

Let’s cover what you might expect from parenting in the digital age and how to manage it. 

How Smart Technology Is Impacting the Lives of Children

As parents, there are benefits to having smart technology, such as smart speakers and thermostats, in your home. It can make life easier and more convenient – something every caregiver wants when they’re raising kids.

But it’s important to consider how this type of smart technology could have an impact on the parent-child relationship. Researchers are already beginning to explore how smart speakers impact family dynamics, noting that, though there are conflicts, there are also benefits to communication and meeting parenting goals.

Further, AI-powered parenting systems and apps are emerging across the globe. They use machine learning to provide the compassion and care that a human would give to their child. For kids who have lost a parent or who might not otherwise receive that kind of nurturing, AI can feel like a blessing. 

Risks and Considerations

Multiple studies have shown the potential negative effects of technology on the development and growth of today’s children. It can impact their social skills, relationships, and even their ability to focus.

Developing social skills requires practice and time. Technology can get in the way of that, often replacing social interactions with screen time, which can lead to social awkwardness or even social anxiety as your children get older. That can have a direct impact on their relationships and how they communicate with others. 

When it comes to lacking focus, it’s often the result of technology doing all of the “work” for them. Today, information is available in seconds. People don’t need to wait for long periods to get answers or even to experience gratification when they want something because they can find it on a tablet or mobile device. That short attention span and lack of focus can lead to issues in school and even a future career. 

Cybersecurity poses another significant concern. Today’s kids have to learn new and different skills than past generations to stay safe while using tech — and these are skills you may need to develop yourself too. Being able to protect yourself online is crucial, but teaching your kids how to do the same is something that needs to be instilled in them from an early age. You can do your part from the very beginning by protecting your baby’s privacy online. Pay attention to privacy settings on social media, secure your devices, and keep little ones off the internet until you know they’re old enough to know how to protect themselves. 

Benefits of the Digital Age

Having concerns about parenting in the digital age is normal. However, when you implement the right rules, educate your children on how to use technology correctly, and you’re open to the ever-changing tech landscape, there are many benefits to raising your child in our current society.

For starters, they’ll be more connected to the world than any previous generation. Thanks to 5G technology and IoT merging and developing, today’s generation will be able to better monitor their health and wellness, have greater control over the security of their homes, and have the ability to develop relationships with people across the globe. The possible applications will only grow as these technologies keep advancing.

Technology serves as a fantastic resource that can increase learning opportunities, especially for children in underserved communities or those who might not otherwise get those opportunities. It can even help kids who struggle with traditional learning methods by “gamifying” education through apps and entertainment. The more time they spend using the internet the right way, the more resilient they’ll be to some of the risks they may face online. 

Your kids can also learn how to use advanced technology to their advantage. For example, AI is already changing nearly every industry, and it will drastically change the future hiring landscape for today’s children. While not all jobs will be replaced by AI — especially trade jobs — getting your children on board with these advancements will help them learn the skills they need to stand out in the job market as they get older. 

Conclusion

As a parent, it can feel nearly impossible to keep up with the ever-changing technology the world keeps creating. It’s more important than ever before to be vigilant, especially when it comes to protecting your kids. But don’t be afraid to let them explore, help them learn, and allow them to grow in the digital age. Doing so will prepare them for the future and offer them advantages that will help them as they reach adulthood.