Exploratory Essay on Influence of Computers on Children

The world has changed drastically over the last 20 and especially the last 10 years; what we see now is very distant from what existed at that time. That means, naturally, that children that were born within this period, especially during the last decade, are growing up in a completely different environment than the one to which we were accustomed. They are surrounded by computers and other digital devices from the day they are born; what was an unusual novelty for us is an integral part of their life, something that is as usual for us as cars and phones.

Some people don’t like it – they say that children are too attracted to these things, that they forget how to read and communicate with their peers. Some people like it, saying that the new world gives children a lot more opportunities than we had. Although personally I incline to believe the latter point of view, I would only say that these children won’t be better or worse than their predecessors. They will simply be different, far different than any new generation has ever been before.

What is wrong about children learning how to use computers and the Internet from an early age? They will have to use them anyway, so isn’t it better to learn it from the very beginning? They will most certainly spend less time reading old-fashioned books; but why computers should replace books if they can easily include them? Probably, they will spend less time talking directly to other children – but isn’t it the…