The article, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends no technology at all until 2 years old. As is everything with parenting, I find recommendations such as this bullshit because each child is different. I have a two-year-old who is amazing with technology. She was introduced to Baby Einstein videos at 6 months old, started playing iPad games at a year, and watches tv a couple times a week. Guess what? By the time she was 14 months she consistently said 26 words. She is not even 2 1/2 years old and knows all of her basic colors, can count to 20, recognizes most upper and lower case letters, knows some letter sounds, is working on basic sight words, and knows all of her basic shapes. Not only that, she is an extremely social child, she LOVES books, reading, and being read to, she has always been able to listen and follow multiple-step directions, and has amazing verbal, fine motor, and gross motor skills for her age. When she watches tv shows like Team Umizoomi and Super Why, she is able to follow along and interact with the show. Her amazing memory allows her to memorize lines from books, tv shows, and games and her creative ability allows her to recreate these scenes later in the day using her dolls and other toys. Withholding technology from her, in my opinion, would have put her at a disadvantage. It is something she is interested in, something she is good at, and therefore something she needs exposure to. In my opinion, she uses more critical thinking skills in learning how to open and navigate the iPad and iPad apps individually than just simply picking up the toys available in her room. She does wonderfully with a balance of technology and creative play. In no way do I think access to technology hindered her imagination. In fact, I think it created a groundwork to build her creative play off of. She is able to use what she has seen in tv and movies to make-believe and play independently. That being said, every night we have dinner as a family at the dinner table with no technology, she does NOT get any technology in her room or at night at all, and we limit access to technology daily in order to create that balance.
My soon-to-be one year old is a completely different story. It is hard to really tell at this point, but so far he has zero interest in anything technology. So, his exposure to technology is minimal. I see no point in exposing him to something he has no interest in at the time being. He would much rather play with toys than watch tv. He looks at the iPad as a cool thing his sister uses sometimes- but when providing him with a baby app, he throws it (like he throws everything these days....). He will probably not be ready for technology until at least 2 years old. Like I said... all children are different.
Digital Dementia? Please. My husband started using computers daily at 8 years old. He started learning code at 9. His dad gave him a computer and a book on code and off he went. By the time he graduated high school, he was fluent in 7 different computer languages. Now, he is 28 and is one of the only people in the country who can do what he does. He spent his entire childhood on a computer. He does not have social issues, memory issues, or any other issues attributed to the awfulness that is technology. Instead he has a unique skill-set that has companies BEG him for jobs. Think about anyone you know that was into computers and video games as a child. Chances are they have a higher paying job than you.
Children NEED to be exposed to technology. At what age, depends on the child. If you do not provide access to technology, you are failing your child. Children should be somewhat fluent on a computer before they reach kindergarten. Children who do not have a fundamental understanding of how a computer works will not make it in this technology-based world. So rather than LIMITING technology, we should instead be promoting using technology to their advantage.
Provide children with apps that promote coding skills. This article has examples of apps that give children programming skills. "Even if a student never intends to pursue programming as a career, learning to code will still foster problem-solving skills, spark creativity and enhance logical thinking." My husband and I intend for both of our children to learn the basics of computer programming. Raegan is only 2 and already plays the game Kodable. It is coding in the most fundamental form- learning to think like a programmer.
Play games and video games that are educational and promote strategy and teamwork. There is nothing wrong with family game night on a digital device. Children are still challenged, learn about competition, and are spending time with family. They learn to take turns and play fair. They learn about teamwork, strategies, and friendship.
Parents should make sure children make the most of technology available. Create a balance and make sure digital technology does not replace conventional learning. Technology should be used to ENHANCE learning, therefore creating more opportunities for children as they grow up in a technical world. By the time our children are adults, they will use technology for EVERYTHING.
In summary, be smart and use common sense when introducing technology to children. Don't throw them in front of a tv all day. Don't allow a tween access to social media. Don't allow your child to play their DS or iPhone throughout dinner. Do promote learning and imaginative play outside of technology. Do allow your child access to apps and games that promote strategic thinking. Do provide your child with the tools necessary to keep up with changing technology. You know your children- do what is best for them.
