The way children are begin raised has changed fundamentally. With the phenomenal growth of technology like iPads and smartphones, children are now more likely to be playing with tablets than in the garden – and not the medicinal kind of tablets either.
Child play therapist, Wietske Boon has a practise in Centurion, Gauteng, and treats a number of children with developmental challenges that vary from school bullying, to trauma in the household.
Parents have to actively manage their children’s interaction with technology
She says that technology has brought about a fundamental change in youth development, be it in the toddler, pre-teen, or teenage phases. According to her, parents have to actively manage their children’s interaction with technology and know when there is a need for traditional growth and development strategies – like playing.
While there are a number of technological tools available, especially online, to stimulate children’s brains, she said this should only form a small part of how children are raised and that there is a need for families to spend regular time together with no technology involved.
For the full interview with Wietske, where she speaks about the unique challenges the information age has created for our youth, click below.
– By Christelle Du Toit
