Category: Childhood Development

The World Health Organization (WHO), have recently made a decision to classify ‘video game addiction’ as a mental health disorder. Due to video games becoming increasingly popular and due to approximately 91% of children worldwide playing video games, it begs the question, are children imitating behaviors and actions seen in violent video games? A statement has been released by the American Psychological Association, stating that there is a relationship between participation in violent video games and heightened aggression levels, aggressive cognition and a reduction in prosocial behavior empathy (the intent to benefit others). So, what does this mean for parents? Should you be worried about what your children are playing? When does some harmless fun become a potentially dangerous obsession?

It is first important to note what a video game actually is. A video game includes images produced by a computer program which can be electronically manipulated. At first glance, video games might seem like harmless entertainment, however, take a closer look and you will notice that this multi-million-dollar industry has a hidden dark side that all parents should be aware of. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), states that around 80% of video games contain some form of violence. There are several types of violence, but, in-game violence may be for an animated or a comedic effect.

There are two key distinguishing features that video games have: the desire to fit in with society and participants being required to work on an instinctive level, by using their flight or fight responses. The differences between the words ‘drives’ and ‘instincts’ need to be acknowledged. The psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan describes ‘instincts’ as something that comes from the inside of human and ‘drives’ come from others which point individuals in a certain direction.

The popular video game ‘Fortnite’ is free, addictive, violent and children all over the world love it. So, as a parent should you be afraid? A Fortnite frenzy has been sweeping children off their feet and placing them in front of computer screens with over 46 million players worldwide. Fortnite has a ‘Hunger Games’ style and the main goal is to be the last one standing, so it’s either kill or be killed. The game is not harmful in itself but, the effect that it is having on gamers in the real world is the worst impact of them all. With a PEGI rating of 12, Fortnite is ‘not suited for children under the age of twelve due to mild violence’, however, many younger children still have access to this vicious video game. So, are parents the ones to blame for allowing their children to play these horrific video games and allowing their children to be exposed to high levels of violence?

It is clear that the social environment of children has continually changed over the 20th and 21st century, which is due to the increased use of a variety of different forms of mass media. The consequence that the mass media has on children has a horrendous effect on their well-being, as it plays a significant role in the development of a child’s values, beliefs and behaviors. The exposure of violence amongst children can lead them to imitating these behaviors, therefore, it is important to note that children seem to imitate behavior that is being demonstrated by a model.

The heightened exposure of violence to children is unacceptable, as this positively corresponds with violence and aggression amongst other individuals. Like most video games, exposure of violence to young children can enlist fear and insecurities as key factors that may define the world that they live in. Michael Rutter, a child psychiatrist, states that from personal experience, members of the public who suffer from either ADHD, anxiety and/or depression are the most vulnerable in displaying higher levels of aggressive behavior, however, these levels of aggression are still evident within children who have not been diagnosed with another form of a mental disorder. However, induced screen time can also have many detrimental effects on children as their nervous systems are still developing, therefore chronic stress will occur faster in children compared to adults.

It is strongly recommended that parents need to be informed of the damaging effects that increased exposure to violent video games from a young age has on the development of other mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, the parents of the younger generation need to implement changes into their child’s life now, so mental disorders such as gaming addiction, anxiety and/or depression will not ruin their lives and the lives of future generations.

Moreover, there are techniques that can be put into place to help reduce these aggressive outbursts, such as, the Standard Cognitive Behavioral Treatment. This treatment for aggressive behavior can be utilized to help children remain calm under certain situations and to develop methods to handle intense situations in a more pleasurable manner. Additionally, recently there have been many private clinics that have been put into place to help reduce the amount of time that young children are being exposed to violent video games. However, as this is a controversial topic evident within the media, it is worth mentioning that not all children who play violent video games will turn into mass murderers in the future, and video games are not the only cause of increased aggression levels.

Parents are responsible for the development of their children and they are the ones allowing them to be exposed to these violent video games. So, let’s be the adults in this situation and change the futures of our children by restricting the use of video games and being more aware of the possibility of them inspiring violence. If we turn a blind eye now, maybe we will be the next victims of violent acts.

Violence can be manifested in various ways, although the most frequently used is attacking, which means disrespecting in rude manners to the people around a person. Video games and violence has been a main topic in todays world revolving around the younger generation. Video game addiction also known as gaming disorder is generally defined as problematic, and a compulsive use of video games, that results in significant impairment to an individual’s ability to function in various life problems over a long period of time. Although it seems fun and it lets us enjoy ourselves, it also has negative affects towards children and teenagers brains. In other words, video game addicts spend a ton of hours in a week playing games that also goes alongside with money consuming due to the need of power and wealth of their imaginary characters. Furthermore, video game addiction may cause many symptoms that belong to Asperger’s which is a mild form of autism and possibly it causes languish in their communication towards the society. Are video games making kids violent? Video games are making kids violent because video games are bad for developing brains.

First, kids spend so much money and time on video games which is very unhealthy for them. A study shows, “Merely in 2001, people in the US spent roughly 9.8 billions dollars on video games and this number increasingly enlarges in time. Besides, people who overplay those video games commonly have to confront a high chance of getting either mental or physical diseases or even both” (addictionrecov.org). This shows that kids are spending too much time playing video games and it is ending up messing with their mind. It has always been very unhealthy to sit on a couch or chair for more than a couple hours and just stair at a screen. It has created a huge problem in our society causing kids to become violent and aggressive towards their peers.

In addition, kids have become extremely addicted to having video games around them at all times. When it gets taken away from them, they become aggressive and don’t know how to control things. “It’s been proven that playing violent games would be more harmful to the kids than just watching them on the TV and that they will probably act violently” (videogamewells.com). This quote shows that playing video games is more harmful than watching a violent movie or TV show because the kids get very involved and zoned in on what they are playing. “Individuals suffering from video game addiction use the virtual fantasy world to connect with real people through the Internet, as a substitution for real-life human connection, which they are unable to achieve normally. Some suffering from video game addiction may develop an emotional attachment to fiends that are only online and ones that they can even create. Those suffering from video game addiction may enjoy aspects of the on-line games that allow them to meet, socialize, and exchange ideas through games” (videogamewells.com). This quote shows how kids cant control themselves in the way of video games and become violent due to how addicted they are to the game. After reading many articles and studies about this topic, I learned that kids who are in school, don’t even think about school all day, they are just waiting to get home to play video games and not have to worry about anything.

Third, parents are recommended to keep their children away from video game by limiting their time to spend on video games and to courage them to take part in outdoor activities. According to Dr. Orzack, “Video game addiction is also known as a result of lack of social communication” (nydailynews.com).Video games create a lack of social skills because they take you away from the outdoor activities and other fun things kids should be doing at their age. When a kid is relying on video games it starts to show that they are losing their social skills and as a community we need to take initiative. Another thing is that kids are getting brain diseases because all they do is play the same video game over and over everyday. There needs to be a solution so the younger generation does not grow up relying on video games for social skills.

Lastly, the counter argument when it comes to this topic is a huge deal in our generation. There are a ton of studies that surround this topic saying that video games do not make kids violent but the truth is that it definitely does. When a kid is playing a violent video game all day and finally their parents tell them to get off or when they take it from them, the kids get aggressive because it is all they rely on. It has created a huge problem in. our society and the younger generation has nothing better to do besides playing violent video games. It has caused kids to become violent because they don’t know what else they can rely on and turn to when there most important thing in life is video games. Kids have become more violent over the years due to the new violent video games that have been released into our society. It is creating a huge problem because there isn’t a way to stop the kids from becoming addicted unless the parents do something to stop it.

In conclusion, there are many things in the younger generation that creates violence but the main reason is caused by video games. It has caused many kids to react in ways that people have never seen before. Video game addiction creates violence to the point where we don’t know how to control it and we don’t know what will come next. There has to be discipline done by parents to control their kids so they don’t become violent if their video game is taken away from them. Video games and addiction have created violence in todays world and there needs to be a way were can stop it.

Technology has become an imperative part of modern society. It affects the way we communicate – whether it is in work or social settings, technology helps us to reach out to more people and expand our network of relationships. Although our generation has generally been able to channel technology into a productive space, many people have questioned whether technology is having the same positive effect on the rising generation. Today, children’s use of technology has become more common and apparent in the average daily childhood, with the easy access and affordability of televisions, tablets, and other handheld devices. National surveys have reported that of children from the ages of 0-8, 40% will have access to tablet devices, 63% to smartphones, and 75% to some sort of mobile electronic device (Nathansen & Beyens, 203). Although technology has the positive benefits of educational potential, technology also has the potential to prohibit children from “engaging in exploratory play, connecting with caregivers, and interacting with peers” (Przybylski, 2017). Przybylski suggests this plays a critical role in increasing the promotion of a sedentary lifestyle and aggressive behavior in children, along with a slew of additionally developmental problems. Throughout this essay we will discuss the shocking impacts of technology on a child’s development socially, emotionally, and cognitively.

As I have worked at a preschool and daycare over the past year, I have seen evidence of the claim made by child and school psychologist, Carol Napier: “It is widely recognized that there is a need for social interaction to provide the stimulation necessary for optimal brain development” (‘How Use of Screen Media Affects the Emotional Development of Infants’, 2014). When children are able to spend time playing with one another, they are learning skills that help them to be cooperative, compassionate, friendly, and happier. It isn’t just an attitude, but it is a disposition they develop as they continue to practice those skills through interaction.

After seeing the benefits that interpersonal relationships can have for a child’s social well-being, it is not surprising that the American Academy of Pediatrics has made recommendations to limit the screen time of children (Przybylski, 2017). I have noticed a profound difference in the dynamic of the children when the morning is spent watching a cartoon together instead of playing outside due to rain or snow. They are often more irritable, disengaged, and sedentary when television is used to pacify them. This isn’t to say that technology is the main source of behavioral issues (another source of behavioral issues is being five years old – it just comes with the territory), but I do believe that children are being robbed of experiences needed to create emotional and social connections with peers when technology is used to help calm them down.

Technology also sets limitations on the relationships that children are able to maintain with their caregivers and parents, although this is more on the shoulders of the parents than it is on the shoulders of the children. Technology is often used as a digital babysitter, preventing children from seeking out communication with their parents and decreasing responsiveness in parents when a child tries to reach out. However, this is not true for all parents who let their children indulge in media. In a study done among Chinese parents and their children, it was discovered that the amount of time a child spends in front of screens is affected by their parent’s attitude towards screen time, their socio-economic status, their parenting style, and screen content. “To summarize, educated parents of high socio-economic status, served as primary caregivers, interacted with their children regularly, placed consistent limits on screen time, and provided age-appropriate screen content to children saw benefits from their children’s screen time” (Hu, 2018). Relationships between parents and children are harmed with the introduction of technology when it is used as a source of primary entertainment without limitations on content or time of consumption.

Along with replacing developmentally enriching activities, screen media also poses as a distraction for children, who lack the ability to filter out irrelevant stimuli (Napier, 2014). As children are learning how to experience the world, they take in everything around them – they take in faces, bright colors, noises, and anything else that might help them to create a world view. Media poses as an incredible distraction to young children by putting in irrelevant background noise and flashing, bright screens that capture the attention of young children. The effects of this could be detrimental: it could distract the child from trying to understand what is going on around them, and to avoid sensory overload, the child focuses its attention on media instead of on what is happening in real life. To quote Napier again, “Mass media exposure can result in the absence of social stimulation needed for brain development” (‘How Use of Screen Media Affects the Emotional Development of Infants’, 2014). Technology eliminates any competition for attention and begs children in crucial years of social interaction and connection to focus on irrelevant stimuli.

In addition to being an imperative time for the development of social skills, early childhood is an imperative time for cognitive development, and sleep is a critical investment of time for that development to take place. Although technology offers mental stimulus for young children, children’s sleep patterns can be disrupted by screen time used in close proximity to bedtime, which may infringe on a child’s overall well-being.

In a study conducted by Amy Nathanson and Ine Beyens, the relationship between the use of mobile electronic devices (MED) and sleep deprivation was analyzed. They also suggest that the use of MED has created a vicious cycle between MED and sleep deprivation in effort to pacify irritable children. Nathanson and Beyens acknowledge the fact that “children who are sleep-deprived perform relatively worse on cognitive and academic tests, exhibit less adaptive social behaviors, and experience worse health outcomes” (Nathanson and Beyens, 215). By using technology to calm children around bedtime or keep them entertained when they are restless during the day, children are not only rewarded for poor behavior, but their quality sleep is further disturbed and their development is impeded. Once again, technology poses a competition for attention, and keeps a child from getting the sleep they need, even if they may be tired.

Even with the information that has been discussed – are the effects of technology on child development really as detrimental as some people seem to claim? Pediatrician Max Davie suggests that the dangers that screen time imposes on children is exaggerated; when screen time is monitored according to a child’s individual needs, it can be healthy for children to indulge in technology, given that consumption limitations are put in place (Try a Light Touch, 24). Although it is wise to set limits that avoid over-consumption, this doesn’t fully address the issue at hand: unhealthy habits and addictions still form in families that regulate screen usage, despite their best efforts. Children don’t always listen to their parents.

Children lack the competence to understand that something they enjoy can be harmful to their health, which may lead to poor habits and addictive behavior in technological regards. Setting limits on exposure will not fix that problem. As studies from the past have shown, “children and adults are susceptible to attentional inertia in which time spent looking at television is related to an increased probability to continue to look at the television” (Nathansen and Beyens, 2018). Although the study referenced in particular addresses television, it can be applied to screen time consumption across the board. The problem is not that screen time isn’t being monitored, because it is. The problem lies in the fact that children don’t have the cognitive abilities to care if it is monitored in the first place.

Even so, addressing the problem does not propose a solution. The well-being of children is being jeopardized because of a lack of self-regulation that leads to addiction. British author and public speaker Johann Hari once spoke on addiction and emphasized the most important element in overcoming any sort of addiction is not finding a way to abstain from your drug of choice, but rather reaching out for social support. “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection” (‘Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong’, 2015). We know that technology has already been let out of Pandora’s box, so suggesting to limit screen time consumption will do little to effectively resolve the issue. Keeping Hari’s assertion in mind, the problem may be much more effectively solved if we think about altering the way we interact with technology.

To expand this point further, there has been research done that suggests that the “social and economic environment surrounding digital screens provide an important context to study when considering the possible consequences of the activity” (Przybylski, 2017). By using technology as a way to engage with the people around us, children will be able to form and strengthen relationships with parents, caregivers, and peers just like they would have the opportunity to in any other sort of recreational activity. They are able to view technology in a more positive light by using it as a way to connect, rather than disengage.

It is easy to believe that most viewing habits of children tend to lean towards programs that are non-educational or not age-appropriate (Christakis, 2013). I cannot tell you the number of times I have walked over to the computer at work to put a show on for the children, and they have asked me if I would go to YouTube to find videos of kids playing with toys. Kids want to watch videos of other kids playing with toys. Although technology created the problem to begin with, Christakis suggests that it could also be a part of the solution. Studies done to modify media content among preschool aged children have shown that content is just as important, if not more important, than monitoring screen time. When children are shown content that is age appropriate, there is a high possibility that the programming will promote prosocial behavior (Christakis, 2013). By monitoring screen use in this way, parents will have less chances to watch programs of their own. Although technology is an incredible distraction for children, the odds are: they learned it from someone. Wasting time on technology is a problem for adults: and children will follow the example they have been shown. By monitoring content to be age appropriate for children, parents will have less time to unwind, but ultimately, this will aid connection between parents, children, and families together.

Children hold the crucial need to develop relationships, form world views and understandings, and develop cognitively without the distractions and irrelevant stimuli that technology introduces in many homes. If parents monitor technology use not only by time spent on devices but also by content, children will have greater chances of developing emotionally and cognitively.

South Africa’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) Department (2015) established South Africa’s National Early Childhood Development Policy, which focuses on ensuring that all children, from birth to grade R, have access to high quality DIT supplies. The focus of the policy is to provide all disadvantaged young children in South Africa with access to ECD so that they have the opportunity to receive early stimulation. Children in a non-stimulating environment will experience growth retardation, language delay, social withdrawal, cognitive delay, and delayed psychomotor skills, which basically include five aspects of development (DSD, 2015). According to DSD (2015), there are still some challenges to be solved in South Africa, including lack of parental support, lack of nutritional support for poor children, poor quality of early childhood education, and lack of vocational education . For disabled children. The aforementioned challenges have had a negative impact on the education of children in South Africa.

The policy is also focused on encouraging all responsible actors to commit and work together to realize the shared vision of child development in South Africa. Participants in these roles include government, non-governmental stakeholders, the private sector, parents, caregivers, and professionals (DSD, 2015). In South Africa, the South African National Comprehensive Early Childhood Development Policy (DSD: Early Childhood Development Policy, 2015) aims to provide children with the best starting point in life by laying a good foundation for development. emotional, social, physical, linguistic and child development. cognitive development. .. The National Development Plan (PND) recognizes the importance of investing in ECD interventions, which is essential for communities and society as a whole, and for children to become lifelong learners (Henning, 2012).

Biersteker (2010) believes that the main problem is that the focus of the NDP is to develop grades R, and little attention is paid to children from birth to 4 years. In 2013, there were approximately 779,370 children who went to grade R, but in 2016, as many as 784,117 children went to grade R, indicating an increase of 4,747 children enrolled in grade R (WildsmithCromarty, 2016). Biersteker (2010) and Henning (2012) believe that grade R is not sufficient for children to form the foundation of development, especially for children living in poverty in South Africa. Therefore, current research focuses more on intermediate children. Those 20 and 4 years old live in rural and urban environments with limited resources, because this stage plays a fundamental role in the overall development of children (UNICEF, 2015). These early years are critical to future health, achievement and overall development. According to the Skills Program of the Ministry of Early Childhood Development (2016-2017), more than 66% of children born under 4 in South Africa stay at home, while only 34% of children in this age group participate in some type of learning. Intellectual property established abroad. Home.

The South African Bureau of Statistics (2011) found that among the poorest 40% of the population, 80% of children in this age group do not have access to a registered early childhood development plan. This shows that children living in poverty are more likely to be unable to obtain high-quality early childhood development facilities. In 2014, 37,000 early learning centers served 65% of the poorest children and families, of which only 19,000 were registered with DSD.

In this essay, I will be exploring how childhood development across cultures is proven to be invariant, through the stages of development produced by Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Although there are small differences between each region due to cultural upbringing the main stages of development are expressed in similar ways. Through Freud’s conscious theory the developmental stages are accompanied by the Id, Ego and Superego to further each stage and create growth within children. The completion of each stage is seen as crucial to a child’s development as they combine and contribute to a well-round person who is easily able to fully integrate into society.

Childhood development is invariant across cultures as through Erik Erikson’s psycho-social stages of development and Freud’s psychosexual development. These stages explore trust, autonomy, identity and competency, as well as the oral, anal, phakic and latency stages. (Burton, Westen & Kowalski, 2015) The importance of these stages in childhood development help to explain why children grow up the way they do and how the indulgence or disallowance of these stages implements open-mindedness or dogmatic approaches to their adulthood.

In childhood, the psychosexual stages are often reprimanded, which causes fixations later in life and prejudiced views due to this unwilling allowance of exploration during these stages, the overlapping of the psychosocial development creates a child who will exhibit certain personality traits and leads to a well-rounded development or a problematic child with different difficulties from communication issues to being sexually ambiguous. Within Vygotsky’s sociocultural development the elemental functions are explored to understand the basic roles of intuition in infants and children. Through the stages of development within different cultures the use of the Id, Ego and Superego are invariant due to the basic human instincts but can be dissimilar due to cultural values. (Burton, Westen & Kowalski, 2015)

Across cultures, psychologists can agree that a child’s development is based in stages of growth and the failure in these stages can cause a disruption in future development. Within the first stages instinctual exploration is essential to coping in the world around them. With the fixation of the oral stage which can lead to eating disorders and smoking in adulthood, while it will also help a child with the trust of their primary caregiver for future tasks and guidance with a hypothetical security blanket. In the first stages of childhood the Id is developed as it acts as a primitive and instinctive component within a person personality, this plays a major role in Freuds theory of personality and the conscious mind, the Id is the unconscious function of basic urges and impulsive activity, which is why the egocentric childlike state is playing a role as the child is unaware that their actions have consequences.

In the second stage of development children become egocentric and if not taught can become reckless, defiant and coprophiliac in their actions in later stages of their life. Berzoff, Flanagan & Hertz, 2016) In childhood development the Ego is formed and is used as a moral compass to mediate between our basic instincts and societal morals, and is our way of behaving, when it is malformed in the second stage of development it can lead to a high risk of juvenile incarceration. The malformation can lead to infantile neurosis when independence is formed from the parental figure and sexualization and sublimation is formed as acceptable actions in society. (Freud, 1952) In Russia and the United States, the risk of juvenile incarceration is very high as in any given year 130,000 juveniles are detained in America (Aizer & Doyle, 2015) while 1081 (Coyle, 2002) juveniles are imprisoned in Russia both of which are a 0.2% of the total prison population, (Howard, 2018) and while Russia may seem like a much smaller statistic compared with America, it is to be noted that the Russian juveniles are charged with more severe crimes. Due to the conservative beliefs of both countries, many children are brought up feeling inadequate as their societies do not condone acts of lust or homosexuality which can contribute to the issue of criminal activity in adulthood and has led to a 63% recidivism rate in Russia and a 43.4% recidivism rate in America. (Caldwell, 2009)

In the third stage a child’s sense of self is formed through social interactions and through the development of moral reasoning and a deeper knowledge of relationships. The relationship between a child and their parents play a large role in creating prosocial behavior is invariant across cultures when practiced correctly. The sociable behavior between Russian and American children with peer development was seen that higher sociometric variables would determine the behavior of a child regardless of their cultural background. (Kirchhoff, Desmarais, Putnam & Gartstein, 2019)

The similarities between cross-cultural childhood development are telling in that the stages in which a child develops is unwavering across the world but there are small differences in infants in their ability to react to stimulus. (Hart et al., 2000)

In the fourth stage of development, a child’s need for authoritative approval is essential to their growth. Belief in themselves to gain self-esteem to carry on into adulthood as it shows their competency to integrate and be valued in society. The Superego is important in the last two stages of development as it incorporates the morals and values of society, the Superego applies the way society. Expects us to behave and the way we wish to be and through this creates a well-rounded member of society, our Superego stems from how a person is brought up and is a guide for conscious and unconscious decisions and desires.

Through the stages of development as described by Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky the invariance across cultures is produced. Through Erik Erikson’s psycho-social stages of development and Freud’s psychosexual development these stages explore trust, autonomy, identity and competency, as well as the oral, anal, phakic and latency stages. (Burton, Westen & Kowalski, 2015) The malformation within each stage can lead to personality disorders and mental illnesses when incomplete and when adulthood is reached different forms sexualization and sublimation is idolised and integrated into the idea that are not acceptable actions in society. (Freud, 1952)

Within Vygotsky’s sociocultural development the elemental functions are explored to understand the basic roles of intuition in infants and children. Through the stages of development within different cultures the use of the Id, Ego and Superego are invariant due to the basic human instincts but can be dissimilar due to cultural values. (Burton, Westen & Kowalski, 2015)

The importance of these stages in childhood development help to explain why children grow up the way they do and how the indulgence or disallowance of these stages implements open-mindedness or dogmatic approaches to their adulthood. Understanding how even through there are small differences in the way a child is raised dependant on their culture the underlying stages are key to a well-rounded developed child whose integration into society and its accepted norms is ideal. Through the stage’s children experience and gain the use and understanding of their Id, Ego and Superego as conscious and unconscious moral compasses and basic instincts which are internal guides to help them through the stages of childhood into adulthood.

References

1. Aizer, A., & Doyle, J. (2015). Juvenile Incarceration, Human Capital, and Future Crime: Evidence from Randomly Assigned Judges *. The Quarterly Journal Of Economics, 130(2), 759-803. doi: 10.1093/qje/qjv003
2. Berzoff, J., Flanagan, L., & Hertz, P. (2016). Inside out and outside in (1st ed., p. 100). United Kingdom: Rowman & Littlefield.
3. Burton, L., Westen, D., & Kowalski, R. (2015). Psychology (4th ed., pp. 484, 420-423, 476-482, 531-2,). Milton, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
4. Caldwell, M. (2009). Study Characteristics and Recidivism Base Rates in Juvenile Sex Offender Recidivism. International Journal Of Offender Therapy And Comparative Criminology, 54(2), 197-212. doi: 10.1177/0306624×08330016
5. Coyle, A. (2002). Russian Federation | World Prison Brief. Retrieved 3 October 2019, from https://www.prisonstudies.org/country/russian-federation
6. Freud, A. (1952). The Mutual Influences in the Development of Ego and Id. The Psychoanalytic Study Of The Child, 7(1), 42-50. doi: 10.1080/00797308.1952.11823151
7. Hart, C., Yang, C., Nelson, L., Robinson, C., Olsen, J., & Nelson, D. et al. (2000). Peer acceptance in early childhood and subtypes of socially withdrawn behaviour in China, Russia, and the United States. International Journal Of Behavioral Development, 24(1), 73-81. doi: 10.1080/016502500383494
8. Howard, J. (2018). United States of America | World Prison Brief. Retrieved 3 October 2019, from https://www.prisonstudies.org/country/united-states-america
9. Kirchhoff, C., Desmarais, E., Putnam, S., & Gartstein, M. (2019). Similarities and differences between western cultures: Toddler temperament and parent-child interactions in the United States (US) and Germany. Infant Behavior And Development, 57, 101366. doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101366
10. Putnick, D., Bornstein, M., Lansford, J., Chang, L., Deater-Deckard, K., & Di Giunta, L. et al. (2019). Parental acceptance–rejection and child prosocial behavior: Developmental transactions across the transition to adolescence in nine countries, mothers and fathers, and girls and boys. Retrieved 3 October 2019, from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-46265-005
11. Strzelecki, J. (2019). Russia behind bars: the peculiarities of the Russian prison system. Retrieved 30 September 2019, from https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-commentary/2019-02-07/russia-behind-bars-peculiarities-russian-prison-system?fbclid=IwAR1OMUFUAVd1mx25yPfYxZ0yua-EqymkQIFFum2D8LUnGCEaI9fPNqcuEas

Child Development and New Technology

We are going to be taking a looking at child development and new technology, there are many arguments for and against this topic, I am going to give you some advantages of new technology for children and the disadvantages.

Advantages of New Technology

There are many advantages of children learning with the help of new technology, one of which is developing their hand-eye coordination. Children playing games online can be very useful in developing hand-eye coordination by following objects on the screen and interacting with them. Also their understanding of interacting with systems, for example knowing that pressing the right button will invoke the desired action.

Technology can be great for helping young children with their problem-solving skills, working their way through levels of games, and solving any challenges that are presented to them to get to the next level is a great way for them to learn problem-solving. Even using the device makes them more adept at this.

Language skills are another part of development that can be greatly improved using technology. Children knowing that they can ask a computer anything they want to know makes them curious to do some research. Many children will use their voices to enter demands into search engines and then read and evaluate the results that are generated. Over time their language will improve and they will become more efficient at finding the information they want.

Disadvantages of New Technology

Although there are many advantages that can come from children using technology in the early years there are also just as many disadvantages. Children using technology more often can lead to relationship problems and issues with social skills, the more time children are spending on technology the less time they are spending with family and friends. They are more likely going to stay at home chatting with friends online rather than going out and meeting them in person.

The overuse of technology over time can be damaging to children`s health and well-being. The more time children spend in front of screens is less time they are spending outside playing, running, and burning off calories. These habits can eventually lead to significant weight gain and poor health. Talking to children about the importance of a healthy balance between screen time and physical activities can be beneficial to tackle this problem.

When using technology, we can be faced with harmful things such as phishing, virus, and other dangers that can be disguised as advertising. As adults, we usually know what is safe and what could possibly be harmful and should be avoided. As children can go online and search for anything it is vital that they are always being monitored by adults. Using parental controls can be a great way of controlling what your children have access to on the internet.

Children overusing technology can have a detrimental effect on the amount of sleep they get and the quality of sleep that they have. A lack of sleep can have serious consequences on our brains, during our sleep the brain starts to clear things that aren`t important and restore the nerves to wake up again and be ready for a new day. Sleeping less means we are depriving our brain of its essential needs and it will be difficult to carry out normal tasks the next day. Balanced screen time is vital for children so they can have an improved quality of sleep.

Bibliography

1. UK Safer Internet Centre Parenting in a digital age: What are the benefits for my child of using technology? Available at: https:saferinternet.org.ukguide-and-resource parenting-in-a-digital-age-what-are-the-benefits-for-my-child-of-using-technology (accessed 29 November 2021)
2. Screen Guide 5 Negative Impacts of technology on children. Available at: https: screen.guideadvice5-negative-impacts-of-technology-in-children (accessed 29 November 2021)

There are many features of adventure playgrounds that make them stand apart from the usual, modern play areas. From being able to build forts to even being able to set their own fires, children are provided with a variety of activities to freely explore and interact with objects on their own. This liberty that children are granted in adventure playgrounds is cited by supporters as a main reason why they are so advantageous since they effectively allow children to develop a sense of self-confidence, self-reliance, and problem-solving in ways that traditional playgrounds just don’t offer. With how much the world has changed in the past century, the skills that these playgrounds help to develop and reinforce are becoming more critical for success in modern society. While there are people who perceive these adventure playgrounds to be a threat to the physical health of children, the fact that these environments are heavily surveillance for dangers and aid in the development of children so well is why they are so important and so necessary.

In today’s complex world where there is more emphasis placed on self-reliance, problem-solving, and working with others to accomplish various tasks, the need for more adventure playgrounds becomes all the more justified. The unorthodox approach that adventure playgrounds take to allow children to have fun is what sets them apart from modern playgrounds, and is also a key reason why they are so effective. This approach, a combination of loose guidelines and supplying children with unique objects to interact with, has proven to be immensely beneficial to the development of children. One of the key features of adventure playgrounds that stand out is the ability for children to make their own fires. Even though this may seem perilous to give kids such a hazardous ability, the opportunity for kids to make fires is a social experience to sit around with friends, and make friends; it can be a cooperative experience where everyone has jobs. This environment that adventure playgrounds strive to facilitate helps create a sense of community and teamwork where everyone has their own roles. Because such unique and team-oriented activities are offered at adventure playgrounds, there is a clear benefit that these playgrounds have over the usual, modern playgrounds that lack these structural activities.

To further illustrate the practical benefits of adventure playgrounds, a 2011 university experiment that observed what would happen if all playground rules were suspended found that there was less naughtiness and bullying – because the kids were too busy and engaged to want to cause trouble. The complete lack of guidelines for adventure playgrounds helps to create an environment where children are strongly encouraged to pursue the offered activities. Without any confinement by normal playground rules and expectations, it becomes apparent that the loose regulation of adventure playgrounds is a main factor that helps children become more engaged and interactive. Therefore, the unique environment that adventure playgrounds promote helps children become more engaged with the activities, subsequently helping to develop many important skills for the future.

Over the past century, the world has gone through immense changes. Skills that adventure playgrounds can help develop are diminishing due to a cultural shift to a more comfortable life where people are becoming more complacent with where they are in life. In a 2011 paper, educational psychologist Kyung-Hee Kim notes that in the past decade, American children have become less emotionally expressive, less energetic, less talkative and verbally expressive, and less likely to see things from a different angle. This ‘creativity crisis’ that Kim analyzes highlights a huge issue in the country where children are becoming less willing and capable of expressing their feelings, ideas and possessing the ability to formulate their own unique perspectives. Because a normal, modern playground doesn’t encourage children to develop these invaluable skills in the same and effective manner as adventure playgrounds do, it becomes clear that the more interactive and open environment of adventure playgrounds is a more effective solution to this issue.

Moreover, to illustrate the reasoning behind adventure playgrounds, Lady Marjory Allen, a landscape architect and children’s advocate, says that the idea was that kids should face what to them seem like ‘really dangerous risks’ and then conquer them alone. That is what builds confidence. This driving motivation/reasoning behind the establishment of adventure playgrounds is crucial to understanding why they are so beneficial to a child’s development. By allowing children to freely explore the environment on their own and finding out for themselves how to deal with various scenarios including risks, they will be able to learn much more effectively on their own, rather than being hindered by rules and expectations of them.

Fundamentally, adventure playgrounds are a way of allowing and encouraging children to not only be creative with what they are given, but also to explore the environment around them and work with others to accomplish various tasks. In this process, children can develop many skills and learn at their own healthy pace, demonstrating how valuable adventure playgrounds truly are. The proven benefits and lessons that adventure playgrounds can teach are invaluable to a child’s development. Not only do they provide an environment to facilitate the development of self-confidence and self-reliance in children, but they also teach various indispensable lessons that are crucial for successful integration into society. These skills and lessons are fundamentally unable to be replicated by modern playgrounds because of the lack of unique activities, interaction, and freedom that they offer or promote in comparison to adventure playgrounds. With adventure playgrounds though, not only are children encouraged to develop these skills, but they are put in an ideal environment that allows them to freely explore and interact with objects and others without any worry about adhering to normal guidelines that confine these opportunities. Ultimately, adventure playgrounds enable children to flourish and develop whom they are without limiting what they do. The vast amount of opportunities and activities offered by these playgrounds are what makes them so valuable and is a key reason why they are so important and so necessary.

As children, one of the biggest rewards that we can have is when our parents allow us to play outside with our friends or with our toys. However, aside from being a fun activity children can enjoy, play is also considered one of the most effective ways we help children’s overall growth and development. Even though most children today spend more time indoors and looking at their computer or gadgets’ screens, or simply because of overprotective parents, studies have proven that this parenting trend is actually detrimental to a child’s growth and development. In this essay, I would like to focus on outdoor games and why they are good for children.

According to Red Tricycle, one of the benefits that children get from outdoor play is that it provides them with healthy exposure to sunshine. As compared to staying indoors, children who play more outside get a lot of exposure to the sun, which enables them to acquire the needed level of vitamin D during early childhood. Furthermore, one New York Times article also reveals that moderate sun exposure can boost your child’s overall immunity against infections and respiratory tracts, all the while reducing the risk of vision-related problems.

On the other hand, playing outdoors is another way for children to get the needed amount of exercise that their body needs. Letting kids stay indoors and increase their screen time exposure is not only detrimental to their cognitive health, but an article published in the Washington Post reports that children who play outdoor games are more likely to live healthy and wholesome lives once they reach adulthood. Meanwhile, a similar article published in The Telegraph reveals that outdoor games, or playing in nature, improve children’s sleeping habits. Some countries even encourage infants to sleep outdoors, but with adult supervision, reports Red Tricycle.

And lastly, outdoor play is another way children can develop different life skills that can help them in their later lives. According to a study released by Harvard Health Publishing, free play often encourages children to use some of their early life skills, such as planning, decision-making, problem-solving, negotiation, and multitasking. In other words, the study says that the more that children socialize with their peers, the more likely will they be able to practice and hone these early life skills, which can be extremely useful once they become adults. In addition, unstructured play can help children learn to improvise and improve their creativity since this allows them to amuse themselves, another important skill that is necessary for their overall cognitive functioning and creativity.

In summary, play, especially outdoor play, is essential for children’s growth and development. In the modern information age, parents should not forget about this and in every possible way encourage their children to play outdoor games.

Everybody thinks about the different generalizations and social marks of disgrace that accompany socioeconomic status, whether they will decide to let it be known or not. Society has come to accept that a kid who originates from a group of low socioeconomic status will not work out quite as well as a kid who originates from a group of a more noteworthy socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, these assumptions are so imbued in the human brain that the inevitable outcome starts to be pursued. At the point when a kid from an observably low socioeconomic status strolls into a classroom, it isn’t exceptional for the educator to naturally expect that the youngster won’t perform well in class, and thus either reviews the kid all the more harshly or doesn’t give the kid as a lot of consideration as different kids from high financial status families. Many think that the child did not perform well in class because of the self-fulfilling prophecy, however, there is something that happens during the critical period that causes the child to fall behind. Socioeconomic status has a direct impact on how a child develops.

These presumptions are not imbued in the mind when people are born, rather they are created over our lives. At the point when children first start preschool, they will generally pick their friends depending on their physical appearance. It is not surprising that kids from low or even middle socioeconomic conditions are not ready to manage the cost of top-of-the-line apparel that openly shows their status. As much as society lectures against stereotyping, numerous individuals are frequently classified basically by how they are dressed. This makes children from low financial status friends with other children from a similar class, and the equivalent goes for middle and high socioeconomic status. This period in a kid’s life is basic in language and emotional improvement and development, however, one could likewise contend that it is key in creating companionships. At the point when preschoolers just are companions with other kids in the equivalent socioeconomic status range, it is not likely that this will change all through their future companionships. Even adults with a low financial status feel awkward being around different adults from a fundamentally higher financial status, and this is a direct result of the generalizations that are ingrained from the starting years of their lives.

As mentioned before, there are generalizations that accompany socioeconomic status, including that kids from low socioeconomic status families tend to not perform as well in school as kids from higher socioeconomic status families. This is not because the kids from low socioeconomic status have an inadequacy that makes them fail to meet expectations, but rather it is because there is an expectation that the kids will not perform quite as well, so the kids walk into class confronting a losing fight. The education that a kid gets in the first years of their life sets up a structure for education through the remainder of their lifetime. That being stated, if a kid does not get the best schooling in the first years of their education, it is not astonishing when they do not perform quite as well in school and do not look for advanced education after high school. Another normal generalization is that kids from low socioeconomic status will not proceed to land good jobs, yet regardless of whether this is genuine, it is not a direct result of the kid’s socioeconomic status. An individual’s socioeconomic status will impact their education desires, which at that point impacts their professional desires. So, a kid from a low socioeconomic status is not expected to go to a decent school and get a decent job, which at that point makes their desire to get a lucrative job fall. The contrary will remain true for a kid who originates from a high socioeconomic status, they are anticipated to go to a great school and get a first-class education and afterward get a high-paying job.

One of the main factors that impacts how well a kid does in school is their parent’s involvement in their life. Frequently society does not see how simply sitting down with a kid while they are doing schoolwork, or in any event, demonstrating enthusiasm for their education will improve the kid’s performance and demeanor in school. On average, low socioeconomic status families will not invest a lot of energy in their kids, while high socioeconomic families will make it a need to invest time in their kids and show enthusiasm for their schooling. This is yet another reason why kids from higher socioeconomic status will generally perform better in school. It is additionally normal for a kid to want a similar sort of profession that they see their parents doing each day. If a kid has two parents who are cops, at that point they will set their objective to be a cop later on. This is the reason why it is exceptional to see a kid from a low socioeconomic status climb the ladder, raise a family, and gain a high socioeconomic status. It is possible to do, but it simply does not occur frequently because the kids pursue the paths that they see their parents setting down for them.

As this essay confirmed, socioeconomic status directly affects a child’s development. Unfortunately, today’s society continues to live by presumptions, thereby supporting socioeconomic inequality and depriving the younger generation of the opportunity for self-realization and success.

A child’s upbringing can have a huge impact on their emotional development. Each parenting style can determine how a child will behave and how successful he will be in life. Bad parenting can make a child more prone to make criminal offences and if a child is neglected then this can often lead to the child becoming depressed.

Some religious parents believe that raising their child to have faith in God, teaches children how to behave responsibly. Religious parents tend to view their childrearing as sacred and strive to raise their kids with self-control and good manners. Religious children may also strive to maintain discipline to please their parents and God. Some religious parents may put pressure on their child to believe in God. However, this could cause their child to become unhappy and more disobedient if they do not share the same beliefs.

Diana Baumrind was a developmental psychologist who specifically focused on parenting styles. In the 1960s Baumrind developed her pillar theory which talks about relationships between parents and their children. Baumrind developed three major parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative and permissive. The authoritarian parent is controlling and expects a lot from their child without providing warmth and affection to them. They expect their child to obey them without question and can often be strict which can affect a child’s behavior. Children might socially withdraw from others making it difficult to form trusting relationships and may have little control over their life.

The authoritative parent has high expectations although they are responsive to their child’s needs. These parents are often good listeners and will give their child advice when needed. Out of the three parenting styles Baumrind believed that this is the most successful way to parent, as children were more likely to have good self-esteem. Authoritative parents are reasonable and encourage their children to be independent but they expect mature behaviorism in return for this.

The permissive parent offers plenty of warmth and comfort to their child, however, they set no rules and do not discipline their child when needed. They have a more care free attitude and this can often lead to children growing up to be impulsive and lack self-control which can later affect them throughout adulthood.

Another parenting style, such as the uninvolved parent, may tend to their child’s needs but are generally detached from their child’s life. They make sure that their child has basic needs such as food/shelter, but don’t become emotionally involved or offer any guidance and support. Sometimes a parent may even neglect their child completely. This can cause a child to have long term emotional damage and may cause behavior issues into early adulthood.

Every family is different and every parent has a different view on how to raise their own child. Families play an important role in the emotional development and socialization of children. Parents are an infant’s first teacher in life and children depend on them to help them survive.