(opinion article)

Technological advancements that are designed to make us smarter and entertain us are overwhelming many 21st century kids belonging to the so-called Generation Alpha (birth starts 2013). Since I have my younger brother who is twenty-two months old, this question has become familiar to me. As for my mother, she is into this issue too.

Access to technology has been linked to improvement in reading skills but some researchers believe that too much technology can be harmful. The frequencies of smartphones and personal computers are harmful to kids. It is not surprising that in Germany and France schoolchildren are prohibited to take phones to schools until being 15-16 years old. The motionless sitting with these gadgets affects the backbone health too. They say that adults are more resilient…

How does technology become an addiction? In the past, parents only had to be concerned about too many TV programs. Now kids often have their own TV sets, their own pc computers, upgraded video game systems, not to mention smartphones, tablets, and other tricky appliances in their bedrooms. Their brains get used to much auditory (listening) and visual (seeing) stimulation; when they don’t have these stimulants, they do not know what to do with themselves. They become anxious, restless, bored, and aggressive. My mother’s friends’ son is nine months older than my brother and he is the living proof of it. His parents allowed him to watch cartoons since he was six months old. Now he doesn’t speak, he often cries and shouts, he never listens to when he is read a book, he can neither have a meal nor get dressed without a TV or laptop turned on.

Experts say there is evidence that too much technology is actually making the next generation less intelligent. One solution is to ensure that kids use their hi-tech toys for only a limited period of time each day. No doubt, it sounds like an unpopular move for kids! Luckily, my brother is not used to gadgets and I hope to see him as a brightly brilliant and brainy brisk boy. Hallelujah!