The Digital Parent Trap Analysis

In her essay, The Digital Parent Trap, Eliana Dockterman carefully builds her argument by using ethos, pathos, and by using purposeful word choice to strengthen her argument that there are benefits to early exposure to technology for children. She supports her claims with evidence by using quotes, and by citing data from research studies and interviews. She leaves out any fluff and unnecessary words which makes the words remaining even stronger.

Throughout my rhetorical proposal “Social Horrors”, I developed an argument that the abuse of social media and texting admittedly has adverse effects on physiological development for children. After I supported this argument with factual guidelines and relevant statistics, I then formed a proposal to try and solve this issue for the parents in my audience; Particularly, parents that are raising young children and minors. In order to create a well-structured proposal and argument to achieve the purpose of limiting screen time for children and young minors in the beginning stages psychological adolescence, I used admonitory diction, testimonial experience, as well as relevant credible sourcing.

In the article, “Parents: Reject Technology Shame” the author, Alexandra Samuel, writes about the pros of parents guiding their kids to the digital world. She categorized parents in three different categories, the Enabler, Limiter, and Mentor. The Enabler Parents let their kids free to use the internet. They trust their kids online, and they also take cues from other parents who use technology. The children of enablers explore the online world without the help from their parents. The second one is Limiter Parents, they prefer to keep their kids away the internet. They limit screen time. Their kids are kept away from the digital world for as long as possible. They author also wrote that the kids of Limiters will show problematic behavior online,

The risks and possible consequences for children and young people of being online or using a mobile phone can be numerous

This technology revolution sparked a debate on children’s use of technology. Children are constantly using iPads, iPhones, tablets, and other computerized devices. By over exposing children to technology, they are being robbed of the mental stimulation that comes from doing real, non computerized, activities. It has gotten to the point where one can see a two-year-old navigate an iPhone with ease but struggle to speak. Sixty-nine percent of children aged two to five can use a computer mouse, but only eleven percent can tie their own shoelaces (Generation Tech More Kids Can Play Computer Games than Ride a Bike). Also, children are at an all time low in the creativity department

In this document Eliana Dockterman writes about how traditional views of childhood consumption of technology with emphasis on “screen use” is outdated and technology usage should in fact be embraced by children. Dockterman is able to effectively portray this argument through the use of a variety of persuasive techniques.

Similarities are found throughout Ray Bradbury’s “The Veldt” and the David Pogue's non-fiction article “A Parent's Struggle With a Child’s iPad Addiction”. Both the main themes, and the reactions that occur can be compared in both pieces of text. In “The Veldt”, the parents use technology as a babysitter. The HappyLife Home was specifically made to make the parents’ lives easier: a tool to feed, clothe and watch the children. The HappyLife Home can be compared to the iPad in “A Parents Struggle”. In the article the father uses the iPad to keep his six year-old child entertained and quiet. Both parents also make excuses as to why their children are using an excessive amount of technology. In “The Veldt”, George and Lydia think the nursery is an

Eliana talked about the misconception of technology use by parents and brought some real life examples such as "the Parental Adage was simple: The less time spent with screens, the better." and she continued to show some of its disadvantages based on researches such obesity and

In this brief editorial adapted by Eliana Dockterman, "The Digital Parent Trap" portrays the current battle between a child's world with and without technology. As many schools and parents are split between the two decisions, Dockterman finds a way to be the tie breaker through her persuasion and smooth rhetorical devices. Docktermon tries her best to convince the readers that technology is okay in moderation, and builds her argument through word choice. With the formality of her diction and her many reliable sources to persuade the reader, she seems to have everything she needs to get the job done.

Today, every person lives in an era where technology rapidly develops. For this reason, in 2013, the culture writer for the online magazine, Time, Eliana Dockterman wrote the article “The Digital Parent Trap”. In this op-ed piece, Dockterman argues that there are more benefits than drawbacks in children using technology at an early age. Therefore, this article tries to inform its audience about how technology has advantages and disadvantages by using different people’s point of views. Although, Dockterman’s article may interest its audience, her argument is enfeebled because of her unsupported claims, credibility, and citations, being unable to support the tones used in two parents’ narratives and the crude humor by Jim Taylor.

In Eliana Dockterman's passionate article "The Digital Parent Trap", the author builds her argument to convincingly persuade her audience that there are benefits to early exposure to technology which will greatly affect future generations. The author effectively employs use of persuasive and argumentative techniques including factual evidence and research, appeals to emotion, and well-supported statements from professionals.

Upon analyzing "The Digital Parent Trap" by Eliana Dockterman, it is very apparent that she uses multiple types of rhetorical devices to support her claim of how early exposure to technology benefits children and children's test scores. Dockterman claims studies show that student test scores improve after playing certain games. In a test done by SRI, studies showed that "kids who played games like Samorost (solving puzzles) did 12% better on logic tests than those who did not [play the games]"(Dockterman 8). This quote from the study done by SRI is one of many factual evidence pieces that Dockterman uses throughout her article to help support her point.

Many Authors vary their usage of multiple rhetorical devices to persuade their readers into looking at an argument from a different perspective. Dockterman uses these devices to persuade her readers that early exposure to technology has its benefits. The Digital Parent Trap is an article written by Eliana Dockterman published in 2013. In this article, Dockterman talks about how technology plays a valuable part in American schools and how it affects these families. Dockterman shares multiple points that support her argument, but she also talks about how parents feel about the technology that is used in schools.Through the use of Logos and Pathos, Dockterman persuades her audience that there are benefits to early exposure to technology

The current generation of children is completely different than the preceding ones. They are living in the digital age. “Technology has blended in with daily activity to become a way of life and children today take for granted all of which is automated. It is hard for kids nowadays to imagine a world that existed without all of the gadgets, electronics and seamless operations that computer technology provides.” (3) “Children in the United States devote some 40 hours a week to television, video games and the Internet.” (12) Many psychologists and researchers are concerned about the impact that technology has on children. Children, tomorrow’s future parents and leaders, are being consumed by the negative effects that technology had on their

Today’s technology has greatly impacted the young children’s everyday lives. Phones, tablets, and computers are all a form of technology that impact the way kids are influenced. Some children get phones or computers at young ages and it can cause kids to depend on it to entertain them. Eventually they will allow the technology to take over and have it become the form of communication between friend and family instead of face to face. As parents continue to buy their children new technology they don’t monitor the amount of time their children spend on the Internet. Technology is becoming more advanced overtime which causes children to become more attached and unable to function without it near by.