Sitting on a dinner table and smiling with your head down, not at the family conversation but at a mobile phone in your lap; never missing a television show and complain about where your time goes; bailing on going out for a walk and watching a movie instead at home, worrying about the extra layer of fat on the belly; and ear phones plugged, shaking your head to the unheard music on a deadly crowded road.

Need someone to place the blame for the above taboos? Yes please. Technology.

BUT!! Wait before you snap, throw away that little mobile, break those small ear phones or give a cracked effect on television screen.

Change in scene.
“Hey dad, the book I asked you to bring yesterday? Skip that! I downloaded it off the internet.
OR,
“Hey mom did you know? If you try to suppress a sneeze, you could rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. I read it online!”
And how about missing your dad who is thousands of miles away from you? But you still get to see him every night? See him laugh, praise your dress and have a look at how you have not had a haircut. God bless video call!

Today’s generation, also being called the generation X, or app generation is the most effected by technology. The first thing a kid sees today, is practically a camera/mobile phone, toddlers are left in front of television sets, eyes fixated on the funny cartoons, and teenagers are seen busy playing video games or catching up on all the latest movies. According to a study, a normal teenager spends almost 8.08 hours using various forms of media. The tough part is, that technology is the answer to many of our problems and technology is the problem in many.

Where technology helps in getting assignments done, researching and even improving language skills, it also comes with certain shortcomings, which is why exposure to technology should be limited and looked over.

Reasons for limiting exposure to technology for your child:

• It cuts down family time
• Results in less outdoor activities
• May lead to late-night sleeping pattern
• May interfere with academics
• May result in exposure to inappropriate content.

How to limit it?

It is definitely an easy option to many parents to make the child busy with video games or cartoons/movies or hand them over a mobile phone or an iPad when he is irritable. But not limiting technology exposure today will surely turn your child into one of the techno-obsessed teens tomorrow.

You can start with small steps to make sure your kid is not overusing it.

• Limit you child’s screen time. YES! That’s right. Tell you kids whats the maximum of video games or movies they can get per day, as to make sure they have time to study and to play outdoor.
• DO NOT PUT A TV IN YOUR CHILD’S ROOM. Make them watch their favorite programs in the lounge, so that you know what your kid is up to.
• Once in a while, play your child’s favorite video game with them. So that they never have to hide their activities from you.
• Limit use of mobile phone in your child’s life.

If you want to see you children growing into healthy-happy beings, pay more attention to their activities than anything else.