This is a re-post of this article from 10/19/2015. This is still great information! In order to help our children learn social skills and communication, they need to experience social opportunities with adults and other children. This happens best on the playground, during play dates, during family meal times, play times or any times.
The information in this post comes from an article on USAToday.com dated 5/8/2015 by Judith L. Page.
Increased technology use stands in the way of our children's speech and social development.
More than 2/3 of 2-year-olds are using tablets and more than 1/2 dawdle on smart phones.
Overuse of technology can translate to an underuse of speech and other forms of human-to-human communication. Nothing substitutes for human interaction when it comes to speech and language development - not even technology. Technology can cause damage to hearing if it is allowed to repeatedly emit unsafe sound levels close to the ear.
The early years are when children are most malleable, as the most rapid period of brain development takes place before age 3. During this time, the primary way young children develop their speech and language abilities is through human communication, something technology simply cannot duplicate. The less time they're conversing, the less opportunity these children will have to develop strong speech and language skills.
There is no substitute to developing vocabulary and communication skills through organic conversations and real exchanges. Listening, talking, reading, and interacting with their parents and others is the best and only way children can build a sound foundation for a lifetime of communication.
If we allow technology to "rule our world" and starve our children of human interaction - society, and especially children, could well pay a terrible price in communication ability.
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