Do computers damage young children's brains?

Why do modern parents seem so pathetic. Thirty years ago parents would have been embaressed to claim its easier to give in to a mere child. Children need to hear no in order to grow up properly, this is a psychological fact. This nonsense that you can't say no to one child just because you said yes to an "older" child is ridiculous. Just tell them point blank your not old enough you can do it when you are. If you tell them properly with correct tone of voice they will understand. You must however be consistant. Do this and life with kids will be better all round, far fewer tantrums. We have obviously come to a place where compulsory viewing of certain TV programs such as nanny 911, supernanny and that Doctor Tanya Byron program will be necessary for all new parents. We seem to be in an inbetween generation, between our parents old fashioned violence based discipline and the new fangled much better methods espoused on those TV shows. This generation has lots of people using niether method and this is what is causing the problems with some of our youth.

As for plonking kids in front of a TV or a computer so you can do housework, how did our grandparents manage most of whom did not even have a TV. The had just as much housework though. People are just too quick to make excuses these days, you just have to watch The Apprentice to see that.

i agree with the aguments put foward. but one thing that has been missed is learning methods and styles i.e how we each absorb imformation. untill about two years ago i had never heard of learning styles but basicly what it means when we talk about learning styles its how each person absorbs imformation. some do better by visual aids such as the use of power point and computers and tv. others do better writting things down . they find by writting something down reinforces it. then theres others who learn better by taking something and reading it. with children you will find its often by visual aids that they will pick things up quicker.

As somebody who has lots of experience with youngster, I brought up three and have run an activity based club for children over the past twenty years, I don’t really know.
Books in paper format are dying out, libraries need to reinvent themselves or disappear. Cyber space has an attraction and offers excitement and stimulation that is missing from most real life.
Shopping complexes are the new Cathedrals, the gadget and fashion shops being the chapels that require the most worship (money).
The cynical side of me thinks that we are entering a Huxley type “brave new world” where the masses are motivated to avoid the outdoors and education.
That said, no parent who cares about their child’s development should ban electronic candy from their loved ones. Children need to know how to manage the cyber world just as much as the real one. I believe it is a question of balance.
Under fives nothing, five to eight small handheld devices, eights -12 tablets and off line Play- slowly increasing level and access as they grow older. Nobody in their right mind should give a junior school child a mobile phone and secondary children should only have highly restricted models. Its voyeuristic the way an accident, fight or serious incident is a magnet of fame catchers with their mobile cameras. If we have to have these marvellous devices they need to be controlled and restricted to youngsters.

To be fair this is no new issue, when I was young I had my parents complain at me for playing computer games all day. I'm coming on 26 and back in the late 80's and early 90's I played computer games everyday without fail for at least a good 2-3 hours after school, the only difference was I was a Sega / Nintendo kid and these days it's PS3 and Xbox.

There are plenty of children who spend a lot of time playing computer games and they grow up to be well rounded individuals, there's not really any harm in it. As for previous comments about stunting creativity, that's a FAT load. I've written countless amateur stories or books, played in lots of social activities and bands and I role play with a group of friends on a weekly basis. I doubt very much after 20 years of gaming my creativity has been stunted that much.

I think this is the older generations having a pop at some of the younger generations because they don't understand the appeal. Even now I find myself criticizing modern "new" music (such as dubstep) because it's not what I grew up with. This is another case of same old s**t, different day. I'l probably end up moaning at my kids about this, and they their's. We are all different, why try to force your children into doing something that they may not enjoy or want to do? At the end of the day my parents tried this because I'm a fully fledged geek and I'm proud of it. They tried to make me something I'm not and this isn't the way forward.

Another aol rehash story, read this one before, give us some new news.

Compuers are here to stay but I feel they must be used in moderation no matter what a child thinks. I find it sad when the holidays come around and there are no children out playing. Do they even know what Coos and Indians, leave-I Oh or Whats the time Mr wolf is.
If parents and schools encourage reading books writing and listening then there is a balance. Where are the days when we had a slate and chalk? Long gone like me.

Do computers damage young children's brains? Probably too early to ell definitvely as yet, however they do damage childrens' imaginations and stunt creativity.

Yes i think they could damage health not only in childeren but adults to prolonged use can damage eyesight by it being strained over time plus also what can be learnt its a well known fact that half the information learnt is probably 90% wrong as well so intellengence is affected to.

Brains, what brains.

Need glasses after a while with computer TV not good, should really ltd a few hours at most but have mine on all the time and now have carpal tunnel syndrome, whict is not good as im in a wheel chair so need my hands will have to have opp which will be a proberlom with everthing! takes around a month to get over the opp if i can get it, have heard of cortisone injections may work again if i can get them its difficut now as have strenth in arms and hands 2 fingers on both hands are num can't feel them no stenght in hands fingers just buckel you can't put no stength on the tips as they just clapse its very worrying for me.

Does your head in.