Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health. Adolescents in the United States culture are moving from using the Internet as an “extra” in everyday communication (cyber utilization) to using it as a “primary and necessary” mode of communication (cyber immersion).1 In fact, 95% of adolescents are connected to the Internet.2 This shift from face-to-face. Infant and toddler development, the physical, emotional, behavioral, and mental growth of children from ages 0 to 36 months. Different milestones characterize each stage of infant (0 to 12 months) and toddler (12 to 36 months) development. Although most healthy infants and toddlers reach each.
Not long ago I was sitting on a train going from Dublin to Galway. A mother and baby came to sit across the aisle and began feeding. In a wonderful display of dexterity, she held the bottle in one hand and clutched a mobile phone in the other. Out of the corner of my eye, I observed her with a researcher’s curiosity.Ethnography is the immersive study of people and cultural phenomena, when the researcher is embedded in the social group being studied. As a cyberpsychologist, I am living in a continual ethnographic study. Hardly an hour goes by when I don’t notice how people are interacting with technology.Ten or 15 minutes passed.
The mother looked exclusively at her phone while the baby fed. The baby was gazing foggily upward, as babies do, and looking adoringly at the mother’s jaw, as the mother continued to gaze adoringly at her device. For half an hour, as the feeding went on, the mother did not make eye contact with the infant or once pull her attention from the screen of her phone.I couldn’t help but wonder how many millions of mums and dads around the world were no longer looking directly into the eyes of their babies while they were feeding or talking to them. What if that direct contact was only half or a quarter as much as the days when my generation was raised? How will this seemingly small behavioural shift play out over time? Could it affect a whole generation of babies?
Could it change the human race?Nobody seems to be even talking about this issue, except those with an interest in cyberpsychology. But someday there might be a notice on the screen of all mobile phones that says: “Warning: Not Looking at Your Baby Could Cause Significant Developmental Delays.”Have you heard that the esteemed body of the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages screen use, including television, for children under two? No TV for babies. No apps with funny cartoons on a parent’s or babysitter’s mobile phone. And yet there’s been an explosion in electronic media marketed directly at infants: a multi-million-dollar industry selling computer games for very young children — some as young as nine months. The tablet is now ubiquitous as a “toy” for toddlers, and parents often marvel at the swiftness with which their child learns to swipe a touchscreen. Unlike a desktop or laptop, a tablet can be used by any child who is old enough to point a digit.The fundamental problem, I believe, is the modern perception (or misconception) that children need to be kept busy and occupied at all times.
Giving a child a tablet is a convenient way for parents or carers to grab a few minutes, or an hour, for themselves. What’s the harm? Besides, what about all those other parents giving their children these little handy screens? Millions of people can’t be wrong, can they? But they are.This is a field I’ve researched in depth, and in 2015 I published a review paper: “Cyber Babies: The Impact of Emerging Technology on the Developing Infant”.
It’s hard to know where to start, as I begin unpacking all my concerns about cyber babies using devices. Somewhere along the line, a misinterpretation of neuroscience has led parents to believe that all stimulation for a child is good. Even if these devices in themselves are not proven to be harmful, there is significant harm simply in the lack of time spent doing things in the real world that are known to be important for development.It has been shown repeatedly that at least 60 minutes a day of unstructured play — when children entertain themselves, either alone or with another child and without adult or technological interference — is essential. This is when a child uses imagination and creativity, when he or she practises decision-making and problem-solving, develops early maths concepts, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.In Britain, an escalation of problems associated with tablet use among pre-school children has been reported by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.
These include developmental delays in attention span, motor skills and dexterity, speaking and socialisation — as well as an increase in aggressive and antisocial behaviour, obesity and tiredness. A growing number of young children are beginning school without enough dexterity to pick up and play with building blocks.One gathering of teachers in Manchester called for help with “tablet addiction”. A teacher in Northern Ireland described pupils who were allowed to play computer games excessively before bed arriving in class the next day with what you might call a “digital hangover”, and attention spans “so limited that they might as well not be there”.Jo Heywood, headmistress of a private primary school in Ascot, Berkshire, has been outspoken about her observation that children are starting school at five and six years old with the communication skills of two and three-year-olds, presumably because their parents or carers have been “pacifying” them with iPads rather than talking to them. This is seen in children from all social backgrounds.A 2015 consumer report shows that most American children get their first mobile phone when they are six years old. This shocks me. This is before what in psychology we call the age of reason, when a child enters a new state of logic and begins to understand the surrounding world — learning the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, justice and injustice.
Now, with a phone in hand, these children are being catapulted into cyberspace before they are psychologically capable of making sense of it. We can’t even make sense of it yet.We do know, though, that technology has changed childhood in innumerable ways. Cyberspace is where they are learning to read, doing their schoolwork, dressing up avatars, watching cartoons and meeting friends both fictional and real.
Choosing fun, safe toys for babies and toddlersPlaying is an essential part of growing up and exploring the world, and that's why it's essential for little ones to have plenty of safe, fun and exciting toys around as soon as they enter the world. You can discover a wide selection of playtime essentials for newborns, older infants and toddlers that will stimulate, entertain and encourage learning and creativity during those first few formative years. Best of all, we offer them at Every Day Low Prices, so it's easy to fill your child's toy box with fun toys. Here are some important things to consider as you shop.
Toy tips for newborn to 6 month agesWhile newborns may not be reaching for those rattles just yet, they do become more and more interested in their environments as they grow. During the first 6 months, they may learn to touch and grasp for toys, and it's important that moms, dads, siblings, grandparents and other loved ones interact with these tiny infants using toys and other attention-grabbing objects to help with development. Larger toys can also assist babies in eventually developing fine motor skills. As a bonus, showing baby a toy can help keep him or her entertained or quiet a crying child.
Tips for choosing toys at this age include:. Choose toys with faces. Babies love to look at faces, so dolls and stuffed animals make an excellent choice for first toys. Just make sure the face is embroidered and doesn't have small pieces that can be pulled off and swallowed. Opt for softer toys. Babies at this age can't fully control their movements and may hit themselves in the head with a toy, so the softer it is, the better.
Play mats with mobiles are another great choice. While babies this young may not have the ability to hold onto toys, they do enjoy watching mobiles that move or play music.Toy tips for ages 6 months to 12 monthsBabies between 6 and 12 months are at a super-fun age. This is when they become mobile and attempt to crawl or walk. This is also when they really learn how to play with toys. The second half of the first year is the perfect time to:. Consider stacking and sorting toys. They help with hand-eye coordination, as well as the development of motor skills.
They're also fun to bang together. Introduce push toys at this age if the baby is pulling up or attempting to walk. Select toys that move, such as age-appropriate cars and other vehicles. They're perfect for both crawlers and walkers to push and chase to help them build physical strength.Toy tips for toddlersBy 1 and 2 years old, toddlers love toys and spend much of their day playing with them. They're mobile, using words, able to mimic some adult behaviors and can express more emotions as they relate to playtime. Now, more than ever, it's important to choose the right toys.
Safety is also more important than ever because toddlers love to put things in their mouths. Bath toys are always fun for toddlers. Most toddlers can enjoy bath time more with the right accessories.
Consider squeeze toys, buckets, cups and other plastic toys that are suitable for the water. Interactive toys are popular at this age.
While most toddlers can't spell or read, they can begin to understand the concepts of animals, colors, numbers and letters. Electronic, musical and pop-up toys with these features are both educational and entertaining.
Older toddlers may enjoy role-play toys. This can include dress-up clothes, a small kitchen with plastic food, tools like a plastic hammer and anything else that allows them to imitate the older people they see.General toy tips for babies and toddlers. Look at the product listing carefully to determine if the toy is age-appropriate. A toy may seem fine for a baby at first glance, but if it's marked for ages 3 and up, it may have detachable parts that can easily choke an infant or toddler. Discard any wrapping.
This can be dangerous, especially if it's plastic. Use good judgment. Even if the label says it's age-appropriate, think of the maturity of the child and even siblings or other children in the household. Make sure the toy doesn't have sharp edges, small parts that may become a choking hazard or dangerous cords and strings.