Education is the most powerful weapon that our kids can use in facing life problems. Combining education with technology development makes our kids unstoppable in realizing their dreams.
That is why we, parents, need to support and motivate our kids to use tech for productive purposes and avoid useless tech usage.
Developing Communication and Social Skills Using Tech
Not every one of us feels comfortable when communicating. Sometimes, we (adults and kids) are nervous, anxious, not in the mood to talk, ashamed, or we suffer from a lack of self-esteem and choose to isolate ourselves and have poor communication.
With the help of technology, we can fix this problem. Our kids have the chance to communicate easily and with confidence and gain social and communication skills through digital devices.
But when we forget to balance our children’s tech usage, they can isolate themselves in their virtual community. Balanced tech usage is the best solution to improve verbal and nonverbal communication.
Balancing Virtual and Real-Life Interactions
Technology helps kids to get connected with others in no time. They can use chats, video calls, messaging, and learning apps to communicate and make relationships online.
But do we want our children to have only virtual communication skills? Of course not. According to studies up to 40% of people are antisocial. Imagine how many of them are children.
No matter how hard real-life face-to-face communication can be, children need to practice it along with non-verbal.
Digital Social Interactions
Social interaction refers to how one person acts when talking or writing to another individual. Technology makes social interactions easier because of the widespread usage of video meeting platforms. Kids can use tech programs to socialize and communicate, such as:
- Zoom– an online platform that is great for conference meetings, online lessons, and communication with people from other time zones;
- Viber– ideal for communicating with friends and family members that live abroad;
- Messenger– a free platform for everyday chatting, texting, calling, and much more;
- Microsoft Teams– this platform provides a great place for online lessons, meetings with colleagues, etc
Groups and Forums
When our kids use tech devices for communication, they can easily find others with similar interests, join groups, take part in forums, and share thoughts and experiences.
That way, children can have a chance to be part of something they enjoy, to learn, and gain new connections and future possibilities. Video games also provide our kids the chance to communicate and be part of a team, which can develop their social and problem-solving skills.
Our kids can express themselves by blogging, writing about their interests, sharing their emotional state and personal experiences, and giving advice on social media and blogs. For example, Twitter is a social media platform where you can join in on all sorts of debates. But Twitter is also not the safest platform, so it’s best suitable for older children and teenagers.
Importance of how our Kids Communicate Online
The character our kid develops growing up must be the same online and offline. If our children join the digital world they must respect the following rules for communicating online:
- Have positive manners;
- Practice polite and friendly communication;
- Avoid using inappropriate words;
- Avoid being aggressive and offensive;
- Have ethical and moral standards;
We always advise our kids how to act in person, and those instructions must also be implemented virtually.
Using Technology to Support Learning
Technology can help our kids in the process of learning and development. If parents insist on proper and productive tech usage, we can see our kids improve and gain knowledge. For example, some apps help children develop language and literacy skills, such as:
Our children can also actively take part in online courses and tutorials and develop IT, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Using Tech for Research
Our kids have endless opportunities for learning and researching through tech. Nowadays, children can find information by typing several words.
Compared with the past, when we needed several days to find a fact or a statistic, children today can just use their search engines and find the answer to all their questions.
My granny was a wise woman, and she used to say: “Grab the opportunity and enjoy it!”. That is how I advise my kids because they mustn’t ignore the opportunities and benefits they’re given.
So, we parents must encourage our kids to be curious, actively search and learn using tech devices, improve their skills, and be competitive.
Supporting Healthy Technology Usage
Positive and negative aspects of tech usage are both present, and that is why we must stimulate our kids to balance tech usage.
In the past, the only resource for education was school books. And why didn’t the majority of us get addicted to books? Because we used them for learning, broadening our knowledge, and activating our brain cells.
That is how we should treat tech as well. Although parents and children can use devices to relax, play games, or watch videos, they should spend time on tech more productively.
Conclusion
Technology controls our lives. We must accept the rules and play by them. If we want to do what is best for our kids, we must teach them to use tech devices for studying, learning, and developing skills that can make them unstoppable in the professional world and career.
But if we want our kids to be socialized community members, we must stimulate our kids to be more out of the house and communicate in person. So, balancing tech communication with real-life interaction is the way to go in today’s tech-filled life.
FAQ
What are some effective ways to use technology to encourage children to communicate and socialize with others?
Make your children realize that there are other kids with the same interests as them. You can do that by connecting them with your friends’ children or family members
How can parents use technology to help children with social anxiety or other communication challenges develop stronger social skills?
Because of the not-in-person moment, kids with social anxiety feel comfortable when they communicate offline. So, after some time communicating on tech, they can relax, gain self-esteem, and use that confidence to socialize in the real world.
What are some of the best educational apps or games that promote communication and socialization among children?
How can technology help children practice and improve their verbal and nonverbal communication skills?
- There are several chatbots that your children can use to practice talking and communicating with others. I find Octa AI interesting and great for children who want to practice their communication skills.
- Ensure that using technology is put to use the right way.
ALSO READ: How to Keep Kids Safe on Social Media
