HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION (SEV) INFORMS PARENTS:
"TECHNOLOGY: A BOND OR WALL BETWEEN US AND OUR CHILDREN?"
A SESSION FACILITATED BY THE PSYCHIATRIST PROF. DR. BENGİ SEMERCİ
PARENTS: NO LONGER THE HEROES
Health and Education Foundation (SEV) sponsored parent conference titled "Technology: A Bond or Wall Between Us and Our Children?", facilitated by the psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Bengi Semerci, touched on very important topics.
In the seminar, Dr. Semerci warned the parents about the potential risks of over-exposure to technology: “Internet, computer and cellphone, all of which leave the children vulnerable to the entrapments of those "strangers", to whom we normally do not want them to talk in the street. All they need is one click!”
The conference at the Raffles Hotel brought together parents who are looking for a way to connect a healthy and balance between their child and technology. Semerci who argues that technology is actually is a great wall between us and our children, gave the parents some important warnings and suggestions.
“Children of today are born into way more stimuli compared to the time that we were born. They are much smarter than us with regard to tecchnology. The more stimuli you are exposed to, the faster you learn. Whatever we do, we learn slower since we were exposed to new technology at a later time than our children. That is why our child can easily figure out all functions of our new smartphone”.
KEEPING IT UNDER CONTROL
“It is not possible to ban it entirely however, there needs to be boundaries. It is useful to make them feel your control of these modern day gadgets. The way to control this, of course, depends on mastering them ourselves. It’s not hard to do that and you can actually use some teaching help from your children. If, for instance, they love to play a particular game, then play it with them”.
“THIS IS MY TABLET, NOT YOURS”
“It is a great risk to place a computer on your child’s room; you can control the use better if it’s placed in a common use area in the house. Do not buy a small child a tablet or smartphone. It cannot be their tablet, it is yours! Make the rules, and limit their use to a certain period during the day”.
“IN TURKEY WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SETTING BOUNDARIES”
“Setting limits on computer use of your children is not violating their privacy. In Turkey we are struggling with setting boundaries. We do not know our limits, nor do we know limits of others. We do not teach our children rules, or we do not implement them. They see from us that every rule can be “bent”.
BEWARE OF THE RISKS
“Internet is an area vulnerable for many risks including sales of drugs, child pronography and terrorism. Almost everything is accessible. Smartphones may also lead to an uncontrolled use of internet and social media. Families need to be very careful”.
PARENTS ARE NO LONGER THE HEROES
“The standards of being a hero has also changed. In today’s movies you have to kill at least thirty people to become a hero. The more people you kill, the more applause your receive. Unfortunately, that is what the child learns. No matter how much you try to be friends with them after the age of 12, or talk for hours: they are in a different world. Therefore, the critical time to do the right things to raise them is until the age of 12. Don’t worry, if that is achieved, they have a better chance of picking the right heroes”.
PEER PRESSURE AND BULLYING ON THE RISE
“The cases of peer bullying and cyber-bullying, which we have read about taking place in other countries, are increasing in Turkey as well. The victims tend to keep it a secret from their parents, and try to deal with it on their own. They feel so alone in the class and the school that they have serious psychological problems. As parents, you should know about their friend circle, and try to encourage them to share their life with you. They would never share until such problems become much severe, with the fear of being further excluded by their friends for being a baby about it and asking for help from others”.