Anyone with children, or who is regularly in contact with children, will know that childhood is radically different to the one they remember. The prevalence of technology and especially social media has changed what it means to be a child almost beyond recognition. With such dramatic changes, is it possible that modern culture is ruining what childhood is?
The biggest problem reported by carers of children is that they engage less in imaginative play. Modern technology means that their attention is being demanded by more and more things, so they don’t have the time or inclination to play. If they have more and more video games or ways to access TV, why would they have to make up their own games?
There’s also the issue of what children can access online. Before the advent of the internet, carers could control what information a child had access to. Now, though, a child can find almost anything online. This can be a real danger if they come across material that’s too mature or graphic for them.
The largest problem children face in modern culture is that of ‘helicopter parenting’. The trend of taking control of every aspect of a child’s life comes from a place of love, as parents of course want their children to be safe and happy. However, as children aren’t able to go out and have their own experiences, they’re staying inside and instead experiencing the world through a screen.
However, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Children may have access to things their parents could never have dreamed of, thanks to the internet. The learning opportunities are almost endless, and they can connect with other children and educational experts from all around the globe.
If parents are concerned with what their children are seeing online, it is possible for them to control what gets to them. Parental controls are easily set up on most internet enabled devices, and encouraging your child to be open and honest with what they’re seeing online can go a long way.
Play is different nowadays, but it doesn’t mean it’s gone. Just like adults did when they were children, children still enjoy playing as their favourite characters in the school yard. There’s still plenty of imagination for them to tap into. The difference is that modern children have a wider pool of experiences to draw from when they play their own games.
So, is modern culture ruining childhood? Not necessarily. It’s true that there are a lot more dangers out there for modern children, but there’s a lot more opportunity, too. If a child is equipped with the right tools for negotiating the dangers of modern life, then they can have a happy, fulfilling childhood.