Prompt: Topic: New technologies have changed the way children spend their free time. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

People's way of living has been drastically changed, thanks to recent advancements of technology. This development also heavily affects what children nowadays spend their leisure time on. Despite some obvious benefits, this change, from my perspective, brings more harm than good to children's growth. Ċ On the one hand, new technologies encourage children to explore the world within their house using interactive apps or programs, which visualize different scenarios, provide practical information and create online space for cross-nation connection. It is far easier than ever for them to spend their free time learning skills or reading books online. With the rise of social media, children have countless opportunities to connect and make friends with people across the globe, leading to a more joined-up world for future generations, especially in the context of global pandemic. Ċ On the other hand, the more virtually connected children are, the more disconnected they get in reality. It is common to see a child gluing their eyes to the screen for long hours and become victims of addictive technologies. While relationships are believed to be best nurtured with face-to-face interactions, the majority of today's children spend more time in the cyber world. The addiction to technology is also closely associated with sedentary lifestyles and various health problems, namely eye-strain, headache or more severe issues like anti-social behaviour and depression. More recently, following the Covid-19 breakout, children practice school online, adding up to an average of 8 hours facing the screen a day, which makes the problem even worse. Ċ In conclusion, the mentioned advantages are not as significant as their disadvantages. It is more advisable for children to spend their leisure time being outdoors and sharing great memories with their loved ones. Technology is for people by people.