More and more parents are allowing their children to play on computers and tablets as they think that children should learn technology skills. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

In the current technology-driven era, a soaring number of parents grant their offspring more freedom to

use

such

technological devices as computers and tablets for their technical skill improvement. From a personal perspective, notwithstanding indisputable merits conferred by

this

rising trend, I would contend that its drawbacks are more significant. Admittedly, children can be conferred with several advantages when obtaining permission to play on Internet-connected gadgets, one of which is the enhancement of essential

computer

skills

. Indeed, the need to expose youngsters to digital devices, namely smartphones and laptops at an early age is increasingly critical for them to adapt to the present technology-oriented world.

Therefore

, providing youth with more liberty to familiarize themselves with

computer

-based programs can equip them with a wide array of vital

skills

, namely data analysis, document processing, or even coding

skills

. Since

such

computer

skills

are vital preparation for their jobs, especially for those pursuing tech-related career paths, early exposure can give them a head start to avoid being lagged behind their peers.

Nevertheless

, I fervently believe the aforementioned benefit comes at the expense of greater repercussions for the young when offered unrestrained freedom for technology exploitation.

Firstly

, allowing children to play on digital devices may prove counter-productive owing to their misuse of technology. In the absence of proper parental supervision,

computer

use

can be dedicated to pure entertainment purposes namely game playing rather than educational ones,

thus

propelling them to become addicted and

subsequently

reducing time spared for other life aspects.

Furthermore

, unmonitored technology

use

can

also

impinge on children’s mental well-being owing to their exposure to inappropriate online content. Given their unrefined mental growth and impressionable nature, youngsters can be detrimentally affected by violent and depraved scenes via the Internet,

hence

potentially resorting to aggressive behaviour or even immoral conduct. In conclusion, the aforementioned long-term ramifications on the young’s cognitive and behavioural growth cannot be compensated by any benefits brought by

this

practice.

Therefore

, it is my firm conviction that

computer

use

should be strictly accompanied by parental control for the sake of youngsters’ mental and behavioural development.