The metaverse is upon us and parents should understand what it involves and the tremendous impact it will continue to have on our children. I must confess that I knew very little about the metaverse until I began researching for this blog post. There are many good articles online and I provide the links for a few below. One article I would like to share here has a discussion between a parent and a therapist which I find fascinating.
Just what is the metaverse? It is a 3-dimensional virtual universe. It typically refers to "a collection of interconnected virtual environments where users can communicate via avatars in the first person. It typically refers to a digital environment that multiple users of an internet connection can access simultaneously." “It's about individuals coming together to share a virtual world, whether it's for a job, school, exercise, or just for fun.” To put it more simply, “it is a system of linked virtual worlds where users communicate with avatars in the first person.”
The online article Is the Metaverse a Kid-Friendly World? A Parent Asks a Therapist provides some important information and raises many thought provoking issues. There is no doubt that the metaverse can be beneficial for our children to help them learn and often provides a safe environment for children to interact with others. But, unsupervised, there are many challenges. “The danger of the Metaverse for kids emerges when they are left to discover it alone. This is similar to allowing small children to watch TV unsupervised, or to spend time online endlessly, without a purpose. Reports have shown it can lead to loneliness, to say the least.” There are also many other concerns, including cyber bullying and stalking and children becoming addicted to it.
As the metaverse continues to develop, it is important for parents to learn more about it and guide their children through it in a thoughtful manner. We cannot stop advancement so we must ensure that our children receive the benefits and are protected as much as possible from the negative effects.
To learn more, please visit:
https://therecursive.com/parent-and-therapist-discuss-the-metaverse-for-kids/
https://www.iamexpat.nl/education/education-news/metaverse-kids-ultimate-guide-parents-and-children
https://www.connectsafely.org/metaverse-and-vr-tips-for-parents/