The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children's Activities and Development

Last week we read an article detailing how children are affected by computer use physically, socially, mentally, etc. While TV time still is the main source of screen time for children, computer use increases every day. The article said increased screen time has been connected to increased child obesity and less face-to-face interaction. Yamille led the discussion by asking if this increased use was affecting children and if so, are the effects good or bad. One of the first concerns discussed by the group was the article's correlation of computer use to violence in children. It led to a discussion on parental controls and the ability of children to surpass their parents' controls on technology. This concern led to another tangent about the generation gap and parents' abilities to handle the technology of their kids, making it difficult for them to monitor safety and other aspects.