WhyChildrenof1113YearsOldAreMoreSuitabletoStartUsingtheInternetThan810

YearsOld?
ChenqiZhang
MurrayStateUniversity
Fall22015

WhyChildrenof1113YearsOldAreMoreSuitabletoStartUsingtheInternetThan810
YearsOld?
Nowadays,theInternetisdevelopingrapidly,anincreasingnumberofpeople
participatein,especiallythechildren.TheaverageofagethatusingtheInternetshowsthata
trendofdecline.Childrenaresoimportantforeachfamily,meanwhiletheyarethecoreof
thesocietyinthefuture.Therefore,focusingonthechildrenInternetuseisagoodand
importantthing.ThequestionabouthowoldchildrenshouldstarttousetheInternetalways
isacontroversialtopictodiscussforpeople.Someonethinkschildrenshouldbestarttouse
theInternetin810yearsoldisthebest,ontheotherhand,someoneconsidersthatchildren
starttousetheInternetwhentheyaregrowup,1113yearsoldisbetter,throughthesethree
aspects:analysisofdata,personaldemands,andparentalattitudescanexplainwhychildren
of1113yearsoldaremoresuitabletostartusingtheInternetthan810yearsold.
BecausethenumberofchildrenusetheInternetisincreaserapidly,therearemany
investigatesthataimatchildrenaboutthedegreeoftheusingtheInternet.Throughthese
researchescanlearnaboutthedifferencesbetweenthechildreningroup810yearsoldand
group1113yearsoldfromthesearticles.Thenusingthedatafromresearchescananalyze
howtheInternetinfluenceonthesetwogroupschildrenandwhichgroupismoresuitableto
startusingtheInternet.Itwillbethroughthreeaspects:quality,frequency,andpurposeof
usingtheInternettoillustrate.
Firstly,accordingtotheresearch(Holsteinetal.,2014)andthearticle(CourtneyK.
Blackwell,AlexisR.Lauricella,AnnieConway,andEllenWartella,2014),theyshowthe
informationaboutthechildrenInternetuse.Intheresearchtheyshowthat8to13yearsold
childrencostmostofonlinetimeonsocialnetwork,whatsmore,thereareabout20million
usersonFacebook,about7.5millionusersageareunder13yearsold.Atthesametime,the

datashowstheaveragetimetousetheInternetperdayin8to10yearsoldchildrenis46
minutes,andin11to13yearsoldchildrenis1hourand46minutes.Furthermore,group8to
10yearsoldchildrenusetheInternetabout1or2hourseverydayis22.8%,3hoursand
moreis6.2%,anothergroupusetheInternetabout1or2hoursis32.8%,3hoursandmoreis
14.8%.Allofthesedatastatesthatasthegrowthoftheage,thetimeofusingtheInternetis
increase.Perhapsithasmanyreasonsleadtothisresult,suchaseducation.Eventhoughthe
olderagegroupishigherthananother,itisnottoolarge,whatsmore,thetimeofusingthe
Internetisnottoolongforchildren.
Then,inthesameway,theyalsoresearchedtheusageofusingtheInternet.The
surveyincludesmanyaspects,suchasTVshows/Network,itmeansthechildrenwatchthe
TVshowonline,theyshowthatyoungergroupis28.2%,andanotheris18%.Meanwhile,
theyoungergroupcomparetoolderonSocialNetworkis12.4%to30.6%,thesocialnetwork
issocialmedia,forinstanceFacebook.OnGames,theyoungergroup(16.6%)islessthan
older(26.8%).Atthesametime,theyshowustheresultsonSearch/Referencean
Educational,theyoungergroupisalsolessthanolder.Theseresultstellthateventhoughthe
oldergroupusetheInternetislongerthananotherintime,butthepurposeofusingthe
Internetismoremeaningfulthantheyoungergroup.Theyneedmoretimetoaccept
educationandsearchsomethingonlearning.
Takingourexperiencesasexample,whenwewerebelowtenyearsold,weseldom
needtheInternettohelpusstudying,onthecontrary,whenweabove10yearsold,westarted
tousetheInternetfrequently.Furthermore,ifthechildrenwhoareunder10starttousethe
Internet,theyusuallywatchthemovieorTVshowsandplaythegameonline,becausethey
donthavetoomuchhomeworktodoandthelearningisnothard,iftheystartedtousethe
Internet,itmaybeleadsthemdislikestudyingorhasthebadinfluenceonthem.

Thirdly,theInternetisdevelopingrapidly,therearesomanywebsitesonInternet,and
ofcourseithassomewebsitesthatincludingunhealthyinformation,sothequalityofusing
theInternetisanimportantpointtotakecareaswell.
Thedatashowsthattheaverageofwebsiteswhichchildrenfavoredis3.75of5.The
oldergroupgotothe5starwebsitesis75.7%,itisbetterthantheyoungergroup.Meanwhile
in4starwebsites,theyalsohigherthantheyoungergroup.Thedatatellsthattheyounger
childrenhavemoreriskthantheolder.Itwouldhavebadinfluencethatwecantimage,
eventhoughcareabouttheirfuture.Therefore,theyoungerchildrenhaverisksofusingthe
Internet,anditismoredangerousthantheoldergroup,becausetheyaretooyoungtoresist
thetemptation,itmightbethefirstcausetoinfluenceonthemeventheirfuture.
Throughtheanalysisofdatacanobtainthatchildreningroup1113yearsoldismore
suitablethangroup810yearsoldtostartusingtheInternet.Becausetheoldergroupwould
havethegoodperformancethantheyoungergroupinthesethreeaspects:thefrequency,
purpose,andqualityofusingtheInternet.
Besidesthroughtheanalysisofdata,italsocanuseourpersonaldemandstoexplain
thatwhychildrenof1113yearsoldaremoresuitabletostartusingtheInternetthan810
yearsold.Everyonehastheirpersonaldemands,whatsmore,peoplehavedifferentdemands
indifferentage,alargeextentitdependsonourselves.Inthispart,itwillthroughthree
aspects:education,communication,andpossessivenesstoillustrate.
Ingeneral,mostofpeoplegotoschoolatfiveorsixyearsold,theywillgoto
elementaryschool,juniorhighschoolandseniorhighschool.Somostofchildrenat1113
yearsoldgotojuniorhighschool,furthermore,at810yearsoldchildrengotoelementary
school.Studentshavethedifferenteducationlevelsbetweenelementaryschoolandjunior
highschool,thereforeitleadstochildrenindifferentagehavedifferenteducationtoaccept.

ItmeansstudentsinfrequencyofusingtheInternetseemstoincreasewithschoolgrade(Sara
Tabone,LauraMessina,2010).

Takingourexperiencesasexample,ingeneral,mostofstudentsin12yearsoldgoto
juniorhighschool.Inschool,theteacherusuallyassignshomeworkassociatedwith
computer,suchassearchinformationoflearningonline.Mostofteachersteachstudents
throughthecourseware,meanwhiletheywouldputthecoursewareonlineinordertoletthe
studentstudyathome,anditrequiresstudentstosurftheInternet.Incontrary,childrenin8
yearsoldusuallygotoelementaryschool,teachersteachthemoftenusebookorteaching
tool,theybasicallynotinvolvedtothenetwork,fromthisperspective,childrenin1113years
oldmoresuitabletostartusingtheInternetthanchildrenin810yearsold.
Then,wearenotlivingalone,everyonehasfriendscanplayorchatwitheachother.
Childreninschoolmeetlotsofpersonseveryday,whentheclassbreaks,classmatesusually
chatwithothers,thetopicofthediscussionaboutidol,theTVshow,ortheInternetcurrently.
Ifsomestudentswhodontknowsomethingaboutthediscussion,otherclassmatesthinkthey
donthavethecommoninterestwithhimorher,thusreducingthecommunicationwithhim
orher,thenthestudentwhodontknowaboutthisnewswouldfeellonely.Itrequires
studentsnotonlyunderstandabouttheirlearninginclass,butalsoknowthenewsaboutthe
discussionoftheirclassmatestalk.
Atpresent,childrenin1113yearsoldcurrentlytalkabouttheTVshow,thestaror
theirsongs,butthemostofdiscussionaretheInternet.Theytalkabouttheonlinegame,the
surfingandwebsearching,orthesocialsoftwarelikeFacebookeveryday.Atthesameway,
childrenin810yearsoldchatwitheachother,buttheyusuallytalkaboutthecartoon,the
comicbook,orsomethingaboutDisney.Theybasicallytalkaboutthetelevisionorbooks,
fortheInternet,theydonthavemoreinterestsonit.

Whatsmore,inthearticle(DanielL.King,PaulH.Delfabbro,MarkD.Griffiths,
andMichaelGradisar,2012),theyshowanexampleaboutaboywhonamedJohntotellus
aboutpossessivenessofchildren.Johntakes10hourseverydaytousetheInternet,
meanwhile,thefrequencyofusingthecomputerhasarisingtrend.Hebrowsingthe
entertainmentnewsorwebsites,playingtheonlinegame,watchingthemovieorTVshows,
listeningthemusic,andchattingwithotherseveryday.Thesebehaviorsleadtohimnotime
tostudyanddoanythingelse.

Throughthisexample,ittellsusthepossessivenessofchildren
isalsoastandardofusingtheInternetwhomoresuitable.
Childrenin810yearsold,theybasicallyonlyplaywithfriendsorwatchTVperday,
theydontcarelikethenewsintheircountries,theyaretooyoungafterall.Ontheother
hand,itmeanstheydonthavetheplentyofpossessivenesstorestrainthemselves.Ifthey
canusetheInternet,theymaybecannotstopplayingfromtheInternet.Incontrast,children
in1113yearsoldbegintobecomemature,theywillknowmorethanchildrenin810years
old,theyhavebetterabilitytorestrainthemselves.
Aboveall,childrenof1113yearsoldaremoresuitabletostartusingtheInternetthan
childrenin810yearsold,becausetheolderchildrenhavemorerequirementtousethe
Internet,suchaseducationandcommunication,meanwhiletheyhavebetterpossessivenessto
restrainthemselves.
Thesetwogroupsofchildrenaretooyoungafterall,theyneedthecontrollingfrom
theirparents,hencetheattitudeoftheirparentsisalsoanimportantaspecttoconsider.First
ofall,parentalconcernscandecideparentalattitudesoftheirchildrenusetheInternet
(SerkanCankaya,
HaticeFerhanOdaba,
2009).Then,parentsownInternetuseisanother
view.Ofcourse,theconfidenceandtrustintheirchildrensInternetuseisapointtodecide

theirattitudes(EmmaSorbring,2014).Theseaspectscanhelpthemtodecidethedegreeof
usingtheInternetfortheirchildren.
Firstly,accordingtothesurvey(SerkanCankaya,
HaticeFerhanOdaba,
2009),
parentshavebothattitudesfortheInternet,thepositiveattitudeistheythinktheInternetcan
helptheirchildrenlearnbetter,especiallyjuniorhighschoolparents,theybelievethat
Internetcanpromotetheacademiclearning,andtheInternetisnecessarytool,itcanhelp
childrenfinishschoolworkandfindoutnewthings.Incontrast,theparentshavethe
negativeattitudeaswell.TheyconcerntheInternetwouldmaketheirchildrenbecome
awful,thustheycantcontroltheirchildren,theInternethastoomuchharmfulinformation
afterall.Sometimes,itcancausetheconflictbetweenparentsandtheirchildren.
Thechildrenin810yearsoldaretooyoung,theyjustknowalittlebitthings,and
maybetheydontneedtousetheInterneteventheydontknowhowtouseit,inaddition,
theirparentsconcerntheInternetwouldhaverisksforthem,sotheywillcontroltheir
childrentokeepawayfromtheInternet.Butfromthesurvey,theauthorsaidmostof
parents,especiallymiddleclassparents,itmeanstheparentsofchildrenwhoarein1113
yearsold,theyholdingthepositiveattitudefortheInternet,sotheyencouragetheirchildren
tousetheInternetinordertokeepthelearningbetter.
Then,parentalattitudesinadditiontotheirconcerns,theirownInternetuseisalsoan
aspect.Nowadays,alargeproportionofadultscanusethecomputertosurftheInternet,
includingtheparents,iftheparentsliketousetheInternet,itmaybeleadstotheirchildren
eagertousetheInternet,becauseitmustbehavingacomputerathome,andtheparentsoften
usethecomputer,itisdifficulttoresisttemptationforchildren.Ofcourse,theattitudesof
parentswhooftenusetheInternetforchildrenusetheInternetisalmostpositive,because

theyknowtheadvantageoftheInternet,thentheywillencouragetheirchildrentousethe
Internettohelpthemlearnmoreknowledge.
DuetotheparentsalsousetheInternet,theyknowtheriskofInternet,sotheycan
considerthatcantheirchildrenusetheInternet.Ingeneral,theparentsthinkthatitwillbe
betterwhenthechildrenbecomemature,sowhentheirchildrenin810yearsold,theyread
thebookorplaywithfriendsisthebest,whentheirchildrenin1113yearsold,theycanstart
tousetheInternet,toknowmoreknowledge,notonlyfromthebook.Afterall,they
understandtheprosandconsoftheInternet.Thispointisforparentswhooftenusethe
Internet.IftheparentswhoseldomusetheInternet,thenthetimeoftheirchildrencontact
thecomputeristoosmall,sothispartwediscussabouttheattitudesofparentswhooftenuse
theInternet.
BesidestheconcernsandthefrequencyoftheparentsusetheInternet,trustintheir
childrensInternetuseisalsoanimportantpoint.ThechildrenwhousetheInternetmustbe
controlbytheirparents,sotheparentsdecidemostofthingswhentheirchildrenusethe
computer,suchashowlongcantheyuse,howoftencantheyuse.Therefore,trustintheir
childrenisanaspecttoconsider.
Accordingtothepaper(EmmaSorbring,2014),mostofparentsworriedaboutthe
childrensInternetuse,theythinktheremustbehavesomethinghappeningtothechildren
whentheyonline,justlesstheparentstrustthattheirchildrenusetheInternetinarightway.
BecausetheyworriedaboutthechildrensInternetuse,itwillinfluencethatlimitingthe
childrenusetheInternet.Childrenwhoin810yearsold,theirparentsareworriedabout
theyaretooyoungtoresisttemptation,thus,theydontletthemcontactwiththecomputer
basically.Forchildrenwhoin1113yearsold,thoughtheyareyoung,sometimestheyneed
tousethecomputertofinishtheschoolworkorsearchtheinformation,andtheythinktheir

childrenhavealittlebitselfcontrol,theywilltrustintheirchildren.Hence,theparentswill
bemoretrusttheolderchildrenthantheyoungerchildren.
Tosumup,thechildrenwhoin1113yearsoldaremoresuitabletostartusingthe
Internetthanthechildrenin810yearsoldduetotheparentalconcerns,parentsownInternet
use,andthedegreeoftrustinchildrensInternetuse.
Combinedwiththeaboveall,inthesethreeparts:analysisofdata,personaldemands,
andparentalattitudescansolvethequestionthatwhychildrenof1113yearsoldaremore
suitabletostartusingtheInternetthan810yearsold.Givingthenicefood,thegood
education,andthereasonablecontrolisthebestwaytogrowupforchildrenwhentheyare
young,socontrollingthechildrenusetheInternetproperly,letthemhavethehealthylife.


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