As many people have noticed, whether its in public or with families, there are countless children and even infants seen who acquire electronic devices.

Ipads, cellular phones, you name it.

However, is this an issue people are turning a blindside too?

In past generations, children were known to play with toys, read books, and go outside for joy. However, nowadays technology has overrun the world. There are now tablets for kids, phones, video games, computers and more. Parents feel the need to provide their children with these things in order to keep them busy or to meet their satisfaction. Although there are some benefits, there are many consequences to it. Is letting a child stare at a bright screen for the majority of their day really worth it?

Overuse of technology can cause issues in a child’s development. It can fail the development of beneficial skills people use in life, on a daily basis. These skills include normal communication, listening, making eye contact, etc. This issue then causes furthermore isolation for a child. Overuse of technology can cause children to avoid interaction with others or even use electronic devices to avoid social situations due to the anxiety caused by technology. This is of course because of the underdeveloped skills that screen time has taken away from these children.

A Renton High School student explained,

“I remember this one time I was at a family party. I hadn’t seen my cousin’s little son since he was a baby. I, of course, wanted to interact with him. So, I did the usual, said hi and asked for a hug. But the response I got was saddening. He would not even notice me, his eyes were glued to his iPad screen. This explains why he is so anti-social.”

This issue is seen almost everywhere. It ruins children’s ability to do so much more than stare at a bright screen. What happened to the toys? Playing outside? Even the youngest infant can be seen with an electronic device. This becomes a habit and follows them as they grow up. Parents need to be wiser when it comes to things like this. Do not give children materials that will destroy them in the long run. Actually consider the harms this will have on a child. Replace a tablet for a book, replace a phone for a puzzle, replace TV with playing outside… there are so much more solutions out there that will benefit kids. Help save the youth!

Sources: Renton High student,

https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/life/wellness/2017/04/19/sound-mind-negative-effects-techn ology-children/99872132/