This is not a normal post for me as it is not a DIY tutorial or a product review but a call out to parents as to what is technology teaching our kids really? I know technology plays an important part in our lives especially in the medical field as well as other places. But what is a good balance of kids and technology? Do our children really need to be attached to this little rectangles, called iPhones, Tablets or iTouches?
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I recently was amazed at my daughter, who by the way is restricted to her use of your iTouch to weekends. (much to her dismay). She came to me one school night evening begging to have her iTouch. I asked her why and her response was she had just finished a book and wanted to text her friend about what had happened. I replied, here is the phone call her up and you can have a more in-depth conversation.
Ready for it…. Her response, that is just weird Mom, who calls people to talk about books, maybe asking for a play date. I was so stunned and felt so sorry for their generation. Where is the art of conversation going? Really do you realize you would get more out of long un-abbreviated conversations than a few LOL’s or OMG’s?
Our Girl Scout Troop has also allowed kids to sell on the cookie website this year. Sorry dear you have to first go around to the neighbors and then you can email those who were not home. They need face to face contact, and practice selling something am I wrong? Also you may not just hand an order sheet to your customers, you must give a few sentences. On the weekends we barely see my daughter if she has her iTouch, she just locks herself upstairs. Come down and call a friend to come over would you?
Carpool and phones drive me crazy too. Yes I am one of those parents that asks kids to please get off the phone in my car and talk to the kids next to them If anything please acknowledge others when they get in the car and stop playing games on your phone. That is what your room is for not a group of friends.
I will now stop picking on my Tween. There are other ways kids can be mean to each other and it goes beyond what we think of as in SnapChat or other apps but these new Clan games. My son recently asked a friend if he could join his clan, (some game you play as a group) and the kid sort of went on an exaggerated response saying absolutely not and I will shut it down if someone else gives you our clan name.
While subtle and not really bullying it makes me sad that kids can use technology to block friendships. I thought this person was a good friend of my son, guess I need both sides of the story.
Technology at the dinner table, please don’t have me even start. I get so upset when I see families with the kids playing during a meal. Please learn to sit through a meal and try to converse with us or get a babysitter and enjoy an adult night out.
I guess the purpose of this post is to just say, Parents I realize it is easy to give your kids technology at times. but also take the time to get them outside, have real conversations with people, use your time creating something and interact in full sentences.
Am I totally off base here?
It’s a really weird thing we have to deal with with our children, that our parents, and so on and so forth, never had to deal with. My son is only 17-months but I try to limit his exposure already. My husband will hand over his iPad ANYTIME he thinks it’ll make him quiet for awhile, and I get irritated because it’s just teaching him to be really attached to technology really early. And chances are… he’s not learning anything. There are so many studies that have been out, showing that children have to SEE parents/adults do things to pick them up earlier in life. I know dealing with technology will be a challenge when my son is older.
We have to embrace changes with our old way of guidelines to the new generation. I admit that I am enjoying new techs and so my siblings but I still limit their time of using phones, tablets or computers and asking them to play at least even just a basketball. It is not only manner matters here but also health.
I think use of techonology does have it’s time, place and purpose and needs to be closely monitored. I keep learning of more and more websites kids use that out them at risk of being a victim of bullying.
I agree with you 100%! This generation has no idea what is going on around them. I work part time at a soccer arena and there can be a very intense game going on and 75% of the audience is looking at their phones and such. Only to look up when the few who are watching gasp or cheer to see what they have missed. My daughter was homeschooled till this year so my kids have had different experiences with technology, like your kiddos. She came in one day and said a girl friend was upset with her. They were having a conversation and her friend said “That was hilar”. My daughter then asked her where the rest of the word was. I thought it was funny but her friend didn’t. This generation abbreviates even in real conversations. It’s just sad.