The Virtual Life Of Our Children

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Computers have become an integral part of our lives and the lives of our children. And it's hard to find a kid not interested in video games and videos. Some parents rejoice and admire the three-year-old child who easily and confidently clicks the mouse, others, worrying, do not allow the child to play and talk about computer addiction. How to be?

Why are computer games useful?

1. A usual activity on a computer is perceived by a child as a game. Therefore, something that does not interest him at all on the pages of books may be interesting on the monitor screen. Among modern game programs and videos, there are a lot of educational and educational ones that take into account the age of children. Therefore, with their help, a child can learn a lot of useful and interesting things about the world around him. ("It turns out that bananas grow on trees, and we buy them in the store" or "There are countries where there is no snow"). It has been noticed that children master the skills of counting and reading with the help of a computer faster than with ordinary learning. Thus, video games and films contribute to the development of the child's intellectual sphere. There are games that will help develop attention, memory, spatial imagination, logical thinking, helping to improve coordination of movements, increase the speed of reaction.

2. The child learns to follow certain rules, plan their actions, bring the work started to the end, and seek to improve their results. That is, along the way, such qualities as perseverance, will and patience are formed.

3. Get new ideas for games that they can play themselves with friends and siblings.

4. Winning, the child experiences positive emotions, feels more confident and skillful ("Today I have a puzzle!" concept as a "choice" (the hippopotamus did not get vaccinated, because he was afraid and he got sick. Now he is given bitter medicines.) The computer does not get tired, does not get irritated and can explain countless times in the same even and benevolent voice: "Try again once, my friend!"

The dangers that lie in wait for the child in the virtual world

1. Disruption of normal communication with children and adults

2. Insensitivity to other people's emotions

3. Eye strain, poor posture and a sedentary lifestyle lead to obesity.

If a child cannot stop playing, his excited state begins from anticipation of the game, when he is not allowed to play, the excitement turns into irritability and anxiety, often thinks and talks about the game, he is not interested in anything except the game, begins to hide that he played and time spent without a computer seems to be wasted, then we can talk about addiction. Dependence is understood as a person's departure from reality through a change in his mental state. Those. a person "leaves" from a reality that does not suit him. Of the many ways to get rid of unpleasant feelings and experiences, one is used, for example a video game, where he gets something that does not suit him in reality.

What is so attractive about video games?

1. First of all, the actions that unfold on the screen attract children for the same reasons as fairy tales - this is a fictional world, brighter, simpler and more expressive than it really is.
2. The computer is a wonderful communication partner: it always understands (if you press those buttons), does not be capricious, does not conflict, does not read notations. In general, it is easy to negotiate with him, not like with living people. Therefore, children who have difficulties in communication so easily leave for virtual worlds.
3. In the game, the mistakes made by the player can always be corrected, you just need to restart the game or return to the previous level.
4. Computer games and films allow children to identify with the main characters - to feel incredibly strong and courageous, smart and dexterous, loved and free. Small children, as a rule, can change little in the reality around them; their way of life is entirely dependent on adults. But not in a video game! There, everything happens at the request of the child, there he can choose and change roles, levels, decorations, command destinies. Naturally, the role of the ruler is very attractive for children, since while they can say a lot more sentences starting with the words "I want" than with the words "I can."
5. In the game, they are not threatened with death and illness, and from a certain age all normally developing children begin to fear death. And in video games, the creators of virtual fun offer users multiple lives. How pleasant it is to once again, when you have been defeated by a terrible enemy, to ask with optimism: "Well, how many lives do I have left?"
6. Games can be easily changed when they get bored, or not played out to the end, if something does not work out, and adults will not attach any importance to it. Try the child to do the same, for example, with household chores (not to mention school!), He will immediately become the object of attention of adults who inspire their child with ideas about purposefulness and willpower.

In real life, there are mistakes and blunders, conflicts and disagreements, there are disappointments and fears, feelings of loneliness and hopelessness, grief and resentment. All this causes some psychological discomfort. In everyday life, each person, as a rule, has a certain set of skills for getting rid of psychological discomfort developed by him in the development process, and, especially without hesitation, use them quite effectively for this purpose. These include: interacting with nature, exercising, getting support from friends and acquaintances or relatives, watching movies, and much more. Often adults think that children's grievances are petty, fear is ridiculous, grief is far-fetched, but children experience the same experiences as adults, but in their still small world. And often the child does not know how to get rid of psychological discomfort, especially at preschool age, when there is no experience of his own or it is very small.

And if a child spends a lot of time on video games, think about what exactly your child lacks in the surrounding reality? Then you need to have patience and pedagogical tact, as well as the desire to change something in your life. For example, if you are inclined to believe that a child's inability to communicate is behind a computer addiction, then take measures to help him acquire this skill (more often take guests, invite other children to your place, while taking care of their joint activities, write in new circles, where, perhaps, other students are more similar to your child in terms of interests, etc.). Remember that change takes time and a lot of your effort. Make changes gradually, give your child the opportunity to get used to them and understand their benefits.

The help of an adult is important for children. And watching TV and playing computer games are of great importance in terms of the development of the child's personality, the formation of his self-esteem, and the education of self-confidence. Therefore, with preschoolers, it is imperative to watch TV and play computer together.

1. Adults talk with them about what is happening on the screen (look, the puppy is also afraid of water, but mom and dad are next to him and he stops being afraid; the boy has a new car, like you, and he is also happy; look, this ocean, and in our country there are lakes and rivers), thus, the child learns more about the world, about the feelings of others (similar / not similar to his own), about relationships, about mutual assistance, about ethical norms.

2. Understand the difference between reality and fiction (We could not swim across the river in a shoe; the monster is not real, it cannot sit you down)

Many scientists single out the upbringing of a child in the family in the first years of life as one of the factors in the emergence of addictive behavior: when there is no constancy in the behavior of family members in the family, the lack of support from the parents, the constant desire of parents to do everything for the child, because they know how best or vice versa permissiveness.

Do not forget about hygienic requirements when using a computer and basic prevention: choose comfortable furniture, pay attention to the technical characteristics of your monitor, alternate passive and active activities, monitor your posture, do eye exercises, and visit an ophthalmologist from time to time.

It is necessary to direct your energies not to the struggle with the computer, but to the normal development of the child, so that he does not have to get away from reality, so that the computer takes a worthy place in his life, along with communicating with friends, with smart, understanding adults, literature, music, sports, art, etc. And as Paracelsus once said long ago that everything is poison, and everything is a medicine, it is only important to know when to stop.