Psychologist: Giving Your Kids iPad is a Child Abuse

Steve Jobs didn’t let his kids use an iPad at home for fear that they would become technology addicts.

According to a leading child psychologist it’s a whole lot more serious than that, however— giving very young children an iPad to play with may be “tantamount to child abuse.”

Describing it as “playing Russian roulette with their development,” Dr. Richard House (sadly not played by Hugh Laurie) argues that that the electronic images seen on an iPad screen can result in children having “an indirect and distorted experience of the world.”

“To confuse children when they have hardly begun to get a handle on this world, by introducing them to virtual, techno-magical worlds, is surely an absurd reversal of the natural order of things,” he continued.

“If this is the case with adults, how much more is it relevant to young children whose brains are still at very early stages of development. It seems that the arrogance of modern technology (together with ruthless commercialism) knows no bounds. On the basis of what I’ve argued here, giving iPads to babies is tantamount to child abuse.”

Personally speaking, it’s a fascinating debate— but one I’d like to see some more empirical research for. It’s also more than a bit annoying to see iPads singled-out as if they were the only tablets on the market, even if this does demonstrate how ubiquitous Apple’s device has become.
Dr. House is far from the only person to talk about the effect of tablets on children, or to single out Apple products. Members of the UK’s Association of Teachers and Lecturers have previously claimed that addiction to iPad and iPhones mean that kids aged between 3 and 4 have no problem swiping a screen, but have trouble understanding real space, and possess “little or no” dexterity in their fingers.

In late 2013, the toy manufacturer Fisher-Price came under fire for selling a newborn-to-toddler “apptivity” baby seat , which came with an in-built iPad holder.

Among older children, overexposure to these kinds of technologies have supposedly “eroded” children’s memories to the point that they are unable to complete traditional pen and paper exams.

I have no doubt whatsoever that parents should rely on more than just iPads to entertain their children (see: human contact), but blaming “techno-magical worlds” for reversing “the natural order of things” sounds a bit too much like blaming real-world violence on video games or comic books for my money.

Do you allow your kids use tablets, smartphones and the like? Share your opinion in the comments box below.

Sources:
* TheSun

* Cult of MAC

EVERY CHILD HAS A VOICE

As an introverted child I remembered my parents, older siblings and friends assumed too many times about what I wanted. Being that I was very shy, quiet and not use to saying so much made it more difficult for me to air my own opinion or win conversation even when my point is more valid than that of others. Nobody really cared to hear me out and that was really frustrating and annoying. I didn't like it a bit but still I felt helpless not knowing what exactly to do for the situation to turn around.

There are times I cry all alone in my closet, feeling ashamed of my inability and lack of courage to express myself. For more than two decades of my life many more people took me for granted, decided for me and assumed a lot of things without giving me any chance to really express my own views or feelings.

But somewhere along the line after attending several seminars and workshops, and reading a lot of books on the subject, I began to speak up for myself. At first, it wasn't easy, but the more I practiced and display courage in my conversation with others, people began to respect my opinions, views and ideas. It was a big breakthrough for me, as if I was released from the prison yard of imposition and forceful silence. I gained my own freedom, my human right privilege to speak and be listen to.

Today, I see many children like me around suffering in silence because no-one really cares to hear them out, most especially the adults. Most adults, including parents, believes that children don't have a say and should be decided for on what to do and what not to do. This is totally wrong and unfair.

In my opinion, I believe every person regardless of age, sex or social status have a voice that needs to be heard. Denying children the right to speak is against their human rights and the earlier we empower them to use their voice the better for us.

In fact, I believe most of the world's greatest challenges will be half-solved if only we can learn to listen to these innocent voices. Ideas and innovation does not only emerge from older people, children can also be inspired to create something new too.

I have been through that road of shyness, silence and intimidation before, and I cannot watch another generation of innocent, innovative and inspired voices to be forced through the same path. Never! Not in my lifetime.

Every child has a  voice and now is the time to give them the courage, guidance and platform to express their hidden talents.
I stand as a child advocate, speaking for as many children whose voices are yet to be heard.

Written & Authored by:
~ Ebenezer O. Akinrinade (CYFI Fellow)
Social Worker| Writer| Social Media Strategist
+2348027701092
Twitter: @gent2smile and @ARLFoundation



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Postponement of Nigeria's Doomsday

This pic is an attestation to the fact that evil doth rule the world. That your life is a part of a grand scheme to give the devil dominion over the world.

I look at this in a Religious and Political eyes because both are in play in this picture. We should really feel lucky in Nigeria especially the youths that you can use a Blackberry to update TGIF every Friday yet the living standards in Nigeria is bad, that you can be Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa and your life isn't threatened while Hutus almost wiped out Tutsis some years back in Rwanda, that we didn't have to fight bloody to gain Independence like the South Africans...BUT feel sad because we have only succeeded in shifting our DOOMSDAY forward.

I am a proponent of Idealism as Materialism has only made everybody in Nigeria lazy. We all love Fela yet the deep message in his songs like "Suffering and Smiling" is overlooked while his weeding habit is embraced as if that's all he taught us.

This Generation lived as though it was created to party and get wasted with dwindling moral values. I wonder if the thousands of generations before us were party animals or funseekers like us if anything worthwhile would be accomplished, Karl Marx, Descartes, Carl Benz, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Da Vinci, Jesus Christ...Even money without values soon fades (I dare you to test the theory). What the f**k did our parents eat or do that made us so worthless?! I jammed up my points yes but i will subsequently pick them out for discuss in due time.

Written by:
Moyo John


(culled from facebook status update)