Remember back when your kids were young and you used to get so excited when they developed a new interest or passion?
Whether it was Thomas the Train, American Girl dolls, dinosaurs or legos, you fostered and nurtured their new special interest with enthusiasm oftentimes feeling proud that they were curiously exploring new interests and diving into new activities. Even if your child did become moderately obsessed with their new interest, it didn’t seem to bother you all that much.
Fast forward a few years and now that your child is a teenager they’ve adopted a new intense interest – computers. But this time, it’s different…
Whether you feel your child has an obsession or a full-blown addiction, for some kids, spending time on the computer has become their life. Every free moment, from sunrise to sunset (with the exception of carving out a few hours a day to attend school), they’re completely content to sit in front of their computer gaming, surfing the net or watching YouTube videos.
If you’re like other parents, the support and fervor you once showed for your child’s interest in computers has waned and you now find yourself losing sleep that their narrow focus has developed into an unhealthy obsession that’s literally stifling their development.
But, what if you could turn their unhealthy computer obsession into a productive, educational passion or even a future career?
Child development experts agree that quite often a child’s intense interest in a subject or activity could be a launch pad for future learning and quite possibly their future career.
Rather than constantly pleading with your child to get off the computer and ruling with an iron fist with threats to force them away from the device that has them completely hypnotized, why not transform their obsession into a productive learning opportunity that will help them foster their education and quite possibly help them get a jumpstart on their career?
If you’re concerned that your child is spending every ounce of their free time glued to their computer, here are 6 ways you can support their interest, foster their enthusiasm, and lay the foundation for further education and growth.
Sign Up for a Computer Camp
If computers are what your child loves, cultivate their enthusiasm by expanding their educational horizons. As opposed to them spending hours upon hours on the computer playing video games, sign them up for a computer camp that teaches them how to actually create a computer game.
The idea is to take their interest in computers to a new, educational level where they’re learning and growing developmentally. And, considering the fact that the average base salary of video game designers in the U.S. stands at upwards of $87K per year, if your child carries their passion into a career you’ll be helping them get a jumpstart on a future lucrative profession.
Organizations such as iD Tech and Digital Media Academy offer a plethora of tech-oriented camps throughout the country and, in some cases globally, that specialize in giving kids and teens hands-on experience in technology and STEM-related curriculums.
Share Their Talent by Volunteering
With the amount of time your child has been spending on the computer, chances are they’re pretty darn computer literate and proficient. Encourage them to share their tech skills and talents by volunteering with organizations such as VolunteerMatch or All for Good. Another organization, DoSomething, is an organization fueled by more than 2 million young people who have found a cause and started their own volunteer project. Under the motto, “Make the world suck less,” DoSomething’s premise is that just because you’re young doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference. Ranked as a popular giving platform for millennial’s, one of the more recent projects launched by DoSomething is “Grandparents Gone Wired,” which helped nearly 12,000 older adults stay up-to-date on technology.
Another way teens can volunteer their tech skills is by visiting senior citizen homes. Most senior citizens are eager to stay in touch with their tech-savvy family members but could use a lesson or two to bring them up to speed. Libraries are also a great place for teens to volunteer. Quite often libraries host technology events and seminars for older adults who need hands-on assistance with computers, social media or their cell phones.
Get a Job or an Internship
If your child is going to spend a ton of time on the computer they might as well get paid for it while gaining real-world experience and furthering their education. Teen tech jobs and internships can be found on sites such as Indeed.com and SimplyHired, both of which allow users to input the type of job or internship they’re looking for within a designated geographic area.
Opportunities such as Library Technology Aid, Summer Camp Tech Instructor, or Game Design Camp Counselor are all perfect part-time jobs for teenagers with technology experience and proficiency. And, chances are your child will be pretty psyched about the idea of actually getting paid for doing something they enjoy.
Another way to get valuable tech experience as a teenager is by becoming involved in big-name tech company programs designed specifically for teens. Companies such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft are among the heavy hitters who offer programs that allow teens to get an inside look at the technology industry all while exploring future career opportunities.
Learn How to Design a Computer from Scratch
Your totally techy teen might enjoy learning how a computer actually works. Let’s face it, the inner workings of a computer are pretty darn cool. Sign them up for a course that teaches them everything they need to know about building a custom computer, including how to confidently shop for computer components, how to install an operating system, how to modify their current computer system and even how to troubleshoot computer issues.
Companies such as Udemy offer a full course (there is a fee) that provides a complete blueprint on how to build a computer from scratch. PCWorld also offers a guide that helps users through the entire process of building a computer, from installing the CPU (central processing unit) to proper cable management. Or, if your teen is a self-learner, there are plenty of free YouTube videos that offer step-by-step guides.
Learn Programming Online
Did you know that the average starting salary for a programmer in the U.S. is $62K annually, which is $8K more than the median U.S income? And, by the year 2020, it’s predicted that nearly one million programming jobs will go unfilled due to lack of talent.
Help your child tap into this growing field by having them learn computer programming online. Tech Prep, a website designed to promote computer science and programming as a career, provides valuable resources to help people (mainly kids) get started. According to the site, “We believe through exposure and access, parents, guardians, and other influencers can enable their children to gain the skills they need to have a technical career.”
In addition to TechPrep, which focuses on programming, there are several websites that allow users to learn coding absolutely free. Learning a new skill like programming or coding might be just what your child needs to spark a totally new interest, transform their computer obsession into a hidden productive passion, and possibly direct their path for the future. Here’s a list of the Top 12 Websites that Offer Free Coding.
Learn Mobile App Development
If your child has more apps on their phone or computer than you can count, chances are they have the inside track on which apps kids love. As opposed to downloading someone else’s app, why not encourage your child to make their own app? And, from a professional standpoint, there’s no better time to learn app development.
The market for apps is soaring with Apple’s App Store and Google Play downloads capping nearly 26 billion and global app revenue hitting $77 billion in 2017. If that’s not enticing enough, the average Senior App Developer in the U.S. earns on average $80K per year. To get your child started designing their very own app, or at the very least, spark a new interest, here are 10 Online Courses to Help You Learn Mobile App Development. Here’s another site that’s worth checking out: How to Become a Teenage Mobile App Developer.
As a mom of a techy teen, I can relate to parents’ frustrations when it comes to the amount of time our kids spend on their electronic devices. There are ways, however, to shift their perspective and spark new productive interests by exposing them to new learning opportunities. Why not take a new, fresh approach to your child’s obsession with computers by tapping into and even capitalizing on their intense interest and giving them the freedom, opportunity, and tools to dive into an entirely new level of learning? You could be setting the foundation for a passionate educational hobby or quite possibly a lucrative future career.
“Technology is cool, but you’ve got to use it as opposed to letting it use you.” ~ Prince