
It is without a doubt that the Internet is a wonderful place for people of all ages. However, you must be extra sure about safety when your children use the Internet. Even though certain Internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as Xfinity give you very strong parental controls so that you can monitor your child’s internet usage, as a parent, you still need to do your part. So be sure to call the Xfinity customer service number to get a secure internet connection as soon as possible.
Coming back to the Internet’s influence on children, here are some ways that the Internet can have an impact (both negative and positive) on your kids and why you should be keeping a lookout:
Keeping up to speed with everything that’s happening around
While being on the Internet, your children can learn things that are of benefit to them. It is not necessary that they only use the Internet to access apps such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok; rather, they could use the Internet to be aware of new ideas floated around on the Internet and information they didn’t have before. Similarly, if your children are mature enough, they could also develop an interest in the political situation of different places in the world.
At the same time, your children could also be a part of positive activities such as playing an essential part in the betterment of the environment and even keeping up to speed with social issues and being a part of the solution.
The Communicative Benefit of using the Internet
Let’s just say you are away from your kids and need to talk to them; getting them a phone plan would be expensive, right? That is where the Internet kicks in, and you can give them access so that they can communicate with you and other important friends and relatives. The Internet has always been quite helpful in keeping families connected no matter what the distance may be.
The Internet can run apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and many other apps that could be used to be constantly in contact with each other. While using WhatsApp, you cannot only text but also make audio and video calls.
The Possibilities of Cyberbullying
Gone are the times when bullying was only done in school; in the internet era, we can see a lot of cyberbullies as well. The principle is pretty much the same as the regular bullying you would see in schools; the only difference is that cyberbullying is done behind a screen while using the Internet. Cyberbullying usually involves picking on someone’s insecurities to the point that they become aggravated.
While someone might hold back while bullying someone in person, the thing with the Internet is that people usually don’t tend to hold back. They hide behind a persona or a fake account, and they bully people online only because they have self-esteem issues. Therefore, you must check on your children and see who they are talking to on the Internet.
Physical Implications that Children could face
Children might face some potential health issues if they spend too much time on the Internet on devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, or even PCs. Some of these health issues include migraines that may become regular over time. Similarly, having too much screen time can also result in your child having weaker eyesight and developing the need for glasses. If your child does not have a proper posture while sitting in front of the screen, they may also develop chronic back pains. Not just that, but sitting in one place can also cause them to gain weight, which may lead to obesity if it is not dealt with properly.
Another major issue that is seen due to excessive Internet use is sleep disorders. Many children use the Internet late at night, especially on mobile phones. This causes problems in their sleep pattern, and they don’t receive much sleep, which causes their brain to exhaust.
Decreased Real Life Interactions
As weird as it may sound, ever since the Internet has become common in every household, there has been decreased real-life interaction among family members and friends. People much rather prefer talking to each other through the Internet, including children. This decreases interpersonal interaction skills and also reduces confidence in children.
Wrapping Up
While the Internet may be seen as a blessing, it can also prove to be a nuisance at the same time. On the one hand, we have a lot of perks of our children using the Internet, but there are also a lot of flaws that cannot go ignored. This is the part where you ensure that your ISP gives you the maximum parental controls so you can keep an eye on your children’s online activity until they’re mature enough.