Talking Tech with Your Child: Essential Conversations for Young Phone Users

Today it is difficult to imagine a schoolchild and even a preschooler who would not be familiar with mobile games, have not watched cartoons on a tablet or phone, or have not called friends via video communication. Yes, gadgets have become an integral part of growing up. But how to make them real helpers for both parents and children?

Usually, children start using gadgets on average from the age of three, and by the age of 5-7 they have their own phones or tablets. You can, of course, not let children near gadgets, but sooner or later (and, according to research, rather sooner) they will still become part of their lives. Therefore, the task of parents is not to prohibit, but to teach them how to use them correctly.

1. Teach safe behavior on the Internet

According to Google, parents are increasingly interested in how to keep their child safe online: the number of such requests increased in 2023 by 58% compared to last year. The reason? Adults understand that simply giving a phone to a child is not enough. A conversation is needed about the rules of behavior on the Web and the content that children are increasingly choosing on their own, without parental control.

When giving out the first gadget, discuss the rules of Internet safety with your child:

• Explain that programs cannot be downloaded from unofficial sources - harmful programs can be hidden under the guise of games popular among schoolchildren.
• Teach them how to use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Install a password manager on your child's phone - tell them what it is and how to use it.
• Children like to talk about everything on social networks: where they live, what school they go to, when and where they will go on vacation. Explain that personal data should not be shared in public space.
• Communicating with strangers in social networks and games should be done carefully, and if communication causes uncomfortable feelings, you should immediately inform your parents about it.
• In younger classes, and sometimes even in preschool age, children begin to make purchases in mobile games - for example, they buy skins or diamonds. Older children make orders on marketplaces. Tell them that payment data can only be shared on official websites. And even better - ask the child to inform you about the upcoming purchase: you can decide together whether it is worth trusting an online store or application.

2. Show exciting and useful games

For preschoolers and younger schoolchildren, play is an important part of development, without which the transition to the next level - educational - is impossible. Games help to develop imagination, teach you to follow rules, communicate with other children and accept victories and defeats calmly. In children who are preparing for school, play activity gradually changes to cognitive, but at the same time they still learn new skills through games.

Encourage your child to learn through entertainment. Today there are many applications for preschoolers and primary school children in which educational content is packaged in games.

3. Suggest which programs will help to learn new things

After visiting an interactive or science museum, where exhibits come to life with the help of technology, we are often surprised - why in childhood the exact sciences did not seem so exciting to us? Perhaps because we could not look at the work of the human heart in 3D animation or wander through the ruins of the Roman Empire in virtual reality. Modern children have this opportunity. Applications will help them understand a complex topic in mathematics, study the structure of a cell in detail, go into space and prepare for an exam, without studying the same textbook for hours, but, for example, participating in quizzes.

Another bonus is the individual approach that educational programs often offer. The child sees their progress in points - this motivates them to continue - but the child does not compete with anyone, does not look at their peers, which allows them to calmly immerse themselves in the topic.

4. Spend time together

In our lives, gadgets are constantly present. But who said that they cannot become a reason for communication between children and parents? Listen with your child on the way to kindergarten a scientific podcast about dinosaurs (children just adore them!). Watch funny videos about cats together. And if the child is delighted with robots, show them the magical "WALL-E" or "Transformers".

Do not think that interests online are not worthy of your attention. Respect these hobbies too, support your children and, of course, help them expand their horizons, use gadgets with benefit, see in them opportunities for development, and not just entertainment.