Tech Takeover: Tablets and Phones Replacing Toys - Research Paper

Technology Takeover

Toys have been part of children's lives for over 4,000 years and continue to this very day. However, the fact that technology has risen in today's world that has very much changed the way kids look at toys now. IPad's and cell phones have seemingly become children's toy of the year. With Tablets and cell phones taking over, toys have been decreasing extremely over this past decade from 2010 to 2019. Parents have developed a habit of giving their child at a young age a tablet because the child tends to cry for it, or even the cell phone this has been a very big issue in what parents are doing.

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Parents have been so used to going to Toys R Us, but now that does not exist anymore with the company going bankrupt. A poll conducted in 2018 showed that more than 60% of parents have their children use a touchscreen. This percentage has been increasing every single year from when tablets and smartphones made their debut from 2008 and on. IPads are known to mesmerize children. Children are known to have been many effects on their mind as in terms of the way they use their brain. This is because the human brain can easily be molded, especially during the early development stage. The screen time is one of the leading factors that affect the development of kids' mind. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, done in 2018, is research that aimed at examining the impact of alcohol, drug abuse, sports injuries, and sleeping pattern. It involved more than 10, 000 children and was conducted by the National Institute of Health (Cooper 5). According to Dr. Gaya Dowling, a member of the research, the screen size was one of the factors that came into play since it has high impacts on the brain, cognition, and social development in children. Dowling mentions that;

"I think the screen time component really came into play because we were wondering, what is the impact? I mean, clearly, kids spend so much time on screens. And they're very engaging, very interactive. The likelihood that they have an impact on the brain, and cognition, and social development is pretty high (Cooper 7)."

Notably, the results from the scans revealed differences in the brain in the majority of the children that are heavy users of tablets and smartphones. Moreover, the findings also affirmed that children who spend more than 2 hours on screen affect the way process information. They tend to focus less, and that is why they score lower on language and memory tests. This is because they think superficially and hence, do not develop the ability to think creatively or critically when learning new concepts.

Moreover, the use of tablets and smartphones by children has dramatically affected the way they socialize and interact with others. Indeed, this is clear evidence that technology has taken over in kids. In today's digital world, young children have many ways through which they can access tablets, including being awarded as gifts by their parents. Thus, most of the time that they are free, they spend it browsing the internet and social media sites, especially Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (Sundus 2). Consequently, this has resulted in a decreased level of social interaction with other people. The high levels of tablet use in kids can lower their self-esteem. Although all types of technology can reduce the kid's frequency of interacting with other people, the use of tablets and smartphone has been topping on this list. This makes it more challenging for them to develop meaning social life and relationship with others (Sundus 2). This has a negative impact on the development process since it becomes difficult for them to show their emotions like the other kids.

The other evidence to affirm that technology has taken over among children is the 2013 incidence that involved a four-year-old British kid who underwent psychiatric treatment because of iPad addiction. Markedly, she used to spend up to 4 hours daily using the device, and anytime it was taken from her, she would become inconsolable. As a result, her parents sought counseling therapy from a psychiatric. When the news broke out, they sparked a national debate that dominated the mainstream media for many days, especially on what was a considerable appropriate use of tablets and smartphones by children. Experts pointed out that allowing children to spend too much time on the screen would affect their ability to develop social skills and to foster relationships with others.

The increased cases of cyberbullying among children in the past decade is also another evidence that justifies the fact that technology has taken over kids. Global statistics show that the number of kids suffering from cyberbullying from fellow teens has sharply increased. By definition, the act refers to any form of threat, intimidation, humiliation, tormenting, or harassment instigated by a kid against another, online or with a cellphone. According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics, more than 20 % of the students in grade 1-4 had reported cases of bullying in 2016. Moreover, 33% of them indicated that they had faced instances of cyberbullying at least twice per month. Of those who were being bullied, 14% of them mentioned that they were called names, made fun of, or insulted. Five percent observed that they were subject to rumors. Moreover, a slightly higher number of girls than boys reported cases of bullying- 23% and 19% respectively (National Center for Education Statistics 33). In addition, most of the instances of cyberbullying occurred mostly via social media websites. Previously studies have also consistently shown that cases of online bullying are more rampant among children of color, disabled, and the LGBTQ group. Indeed, these statistics confirm that cyberbullying is on the rise among kids and mostly takes place via the help of tablets and smartphones.

Markedly, cyberbullying has far-reaching impacts among kids. Firstly, a study conducted in 2012 found out that this criminal activity has adverse effects on mental health and behavior related problems (Toscos 43). According to the Centre for Disease Control, students who face harassment and intimidation online are at risk of having sleep difficulties, poor school adjustments, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, the study also indicated that cyberbullying has adverse effects on their self-confidence. This, in turn, affects their relationship with their peers and family members. Worst of all, in the recent past, researchers have found a strong correlation between cyberbullying and suicide, albeit the relationship is also aggravated by other factors, including depression, substance abuse, and violent behaviors. A meta-analysis study conducted by the National Centre for Education Statistics found out that children facing intimidation and threats online were 2.2 times more likely to commit suicide (National Center for Education Statistics 16). Thus, parents and teachers should intervene when they see young children exhibit signs that are related to , including such anxiety, depression, withdraw from peers, and behavior changes.

Mobile game addiction is yet another reason that has seen the number of kids using tablets rise. There are hundreds of games that are now available for downloads in the tablets and smartphones. Some of the most popular genres include a casino, adventure, action, racing, puzzle, trivia, simulation, cards, and educational games (Curtis 6). Studies have shown that young kids are the ones who are more susceptible to mobile game addiction. Many reasons are attributable to this obsession. Firstly, this age group lacks the self-discipline that is needed to control and limit the amount of time spent playing games. Secondly, most of them fail to recognize facts and fiction, especially in the realms of the virtual reality environment; thus, they are influenced by games that exhibit negative and violent behavior. Moreover, mobile game developers use algorithms that purposely keep young children playing, including detailed graphics, bright colors, and background music (Curtis 9). This way, many of them end up taking most of their time playing the games. Candy Crush, for instance, boasts an average of about 90 million daily users, of which three-quarter of them are young children (Curtis 9). The game is psychologically appealing to children because it often releases new levels almost every month. Freemium category of games comprises of the leading games behind addiction. They are free to install, but they give users the option to purchase in-apps that allow further progress in the game (Curtis 10). Although playing mobile games is fun and entertaining, when children are exposed to a significant amount of gaming, it can leads to addiction, consequently making them abandon essential life responsibilities such as work and education.

The latest scholastic report adds to the theory that technology will continue to take over kids. Firstly, the annual tablet sales are continuing to rise. In 2018, an estimated number of 176 million tablets were sold, which is ten times more of the ones sold in 2010 (Statista 1). In 2014, it estimated that around 800 million people globally used tablets (Statista 2). These figures increased to around 1.27 billion in 2018 (Statista 3). The other reason why this trend is expected to rise is that the tablet market is segmented, an issue that has been highlighted by many tech firms. Recently, for instance, we have seen companies develop tablets that are specifically meant for kids. These devices are only built for games and media content. The latest entrants in the market in this category are tablets from Nvidia company. Thus, the fact that the tablet market is segmented, with some companies focusing on developing devices for children is a clear indication that technology will continue to take over kids.

On the other hand, I hold varying opinions concerning the topic that technology has taken over kids with the introduction of tablets. In my understanding, we are at a point whereby technology is beneficial. It helps children to do things independently. Admittedly, children using tablets and other tech devices in the classroom will no doubt have an edge in their academic studies. For instance, they will build upon their digital skills, and in future, they will not face any difficulties in their computing classes. Again, besides gaining computer literacy, they will not feel left out in the technological trends, especially now that were are in a digital era. Moreover, it increases the speed of knowledge transfer since internet search engines offer an instant response. This will significantly increase their academic progress since it facilitates faster scanning of the web pages.

Over and above, technology helps children in understanding the kind of weather that is expected to prevail throughout the day. When there are cases of extreme weather conditions, it is paramount to get such information on time. Fortunately, many applications forecast weather conditions. Thus, children can utilize such apps to plan for their day, especially on the type of clothes to wear. A perfect example of such an app is the AccuWeather that provides warnings when there is severe weather is expected. Moreover, it helps people track areas that are receiving heavy rains using radar maps in real-time.

Importantly, children using technological devices such as tablets have shown significant improvements in their communication skills. In particular, those that are nonverbal (introverts) use them to communicate with those around them. Some have icons that assist kids in creating sentences such as "I am happy," and in turn, their recipients can understand their emotions. Moreover, the devices also increase the kid's attention since they use the devices for a longer time.

Conclusion

All in all, today's children are overwhelmed wit...