What Impact Do iPods Have on Teenagers?

Two-Hundred Dollar Ear Plugs

• The iPod gives teenagers a frightening ability: the ability to successfully plug their ears at any time. While you might shrug this ability off as something teenagers can do with their fingers anyway, be aware of the fact that technologies such as the iPod are driving teenagers away from family interaction, according to Kimberly Young, the director of the Center for Online Addiction and author of the book ̶0;Caught in the Net." The diminishing time teenagers spend interacting with their parents and siblings has begun to hurt the family bonds and their social skills. A teen can easily plug her ears with music when she doesn̵7;t like what she hears, but parents see such behavior as what it is: avoiding human interaction.

Can You Hear Me Now?

• Technology can be a curse when it turns into an addiction. Internet scholar Kimberly Young wrote in her book ̶0;Internet Addiction̶1; that one out of every 20 teens is addicted to some form of technology. Just as every drug addiction has its unique negative outcomes, different technology addictions result in different types of problems. Because addiction is, in essence, compulsive and long-term use, iPod addictions can lead to hearing loss and the avoidance of routine social interactions, which are essential in growing up as a functioning adult.

iWake, not iSleep

• Music can excite and pacify. But the iPod is more than just a provider of music: Apple designed this product to be an interactive piece of art. Not only can it be fun to use the interface to switch songs and read song titles, but newer versions offer capabilities unrelated to music, such as video play and Internet access. A teen who goes to bed with her iPod is unlikely playing lullabies. She̵7;s more likely using the technology to keep herself awake according to social psychologist Kristin Dehmler, author of ̶0;Adolescent Technology Usage During Sleep-Time.̶1; Dehmler has researched the negative effect technology use has had on sleep quality, which carries over to the next day̵7;s activities, usually school and homework.

iMom: Good Parents in the 21st Century

• Apple launched the iPod with good intentions, and good intentions it can serve with the proper oversight. The problem lies in the teenage brain, which typically lacks willpower and long-term planning. Instead of fixing problems after they̵7;ve come, be a proactive parent and prevent those problems by setting rules for technology use in the home. Let your teen know that listening to music is a natural and enjoyable part of human life but that iPod use can be a good or bad habit, depending on use. Consider rules that keep your teen focused on what matters, rules such as banning iPods during family dinners and meetings or before bedtime.