When you hand a toddler a shiny light up screen, obviously they are gonna be intrigued to play with this new object. Now, it may be an easy way to keep your toddler occupied for a long period of time, but the negative effect on young kids’ brains could make a parent think twice before they hand over the iPad to calm their young one down. 

 Even though there may be some positive benefits from an iPad, handing kids an electronic device for hours on end or sticking an iPad in their face while they wait in the grocery store is only teaching them negative things. It’s teaching them that when you need time to go by you go straight to a device. Young kids need to know how to sit with their own thoughts and imagination while in different settings. According to What to Except, IPad use should not crowd out other toys, games, physical activities, creative free play and face-to-face social interactions. 

There are many studies of how social media affects the young brain and how growing up having social media as a resource is not always beneficial. Access to social media has a huge effect on the development of young kids’ brains. 

Millennials are considered the first generation to grow up in a world saturated with technology and the internet. According to Emerging Edtech, millennials are “struggling with mental health” in greater numbers than older generations. Social media isn’t all about self expression and human connection. There is a side of social media that isn’t often shown to the world. Mental health problems are starting to get to younger generations every day, and millennials are paying the price for the constant effect of social media and depression. 

Social Media seems to be the reason for the so-called FOMO. The fear of missing out  refers to the feeling or perception of others having more fun, living better lives, or experiencing better things than you are. It involves a deep sense of envy and affects self esteem. It is often exacerbated by social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. It may seem silly, but this is a real thing happening in today’s world where kids see others online and they feel the need to be at the event. It is leading kids to work themselves too hard, leading back to the mental health problems starting. 

We also have to pay attention to kids who don’t leave the house because of social media and their devices. This would go more towards video games and older kids because they have more of a choice on what they want to do to spend their time. Many millennials spend most of their time missing out on events that they would normally participate in because of the internet. 

It’s not deniable that technology will be a part of young kids’ lives. While social media doesn’t always have to have a bad side to it, the overuse of technology in kids’ everyday lives is showing to lead to more and more mental health problems and unhealthy habits as they begin to grow up. Limiting time for yourself and parents taking the role to limit their kids screen time could benefit our new generations greatly.