Three years ago, I blogged about technology, and while so much
of it still rings true, I realize that each year, younger children are
accessing technologies, and we need to attend to what this means for your
youth.
I will digress with a bit of history. When my twins were turning
thirteen, we were purchasing their first cell phone. There was no camera, no
internet and no texting. It was a phone. The intended purpose for them to have
a cell phone was for those moments when they were out and about; they had an
easy way to reach us. They actually shared the phone! When they turned fifteen,
they had earned the privilege of having their own phones, with limited texting
added. I can only imagine parents reading this and laughing. I feel like my
kids’ experience with their first cell phone is as outdated as mine - my first
cell phone was a box phone that I carried in a big black bag whenever I went to
my car! And I thought I was cool!
I am aware that children are exposed to technology earlier and
earlier these days. Watching a toddler maneuver apps on an iPad in the mall
recently, I realized that the next generation of children will be more skilled
at computers than coloring in a coloring book. Schools are even doing away with
cursive. Students learn the basic letters and are learning to write their
names, but the years spent learning cursive are making way for keyboarding and
computer literacy. Children are taught in school to prepare Powerpoint
presentations and are turning pages of a book with the flip of a finger on
their e-readers. Backpacks, once weighted down by books going to and from
school, are becoming lighter as school books are now on CD or accessible
through the internet.
So my advice to parents is to supervise and assist our youth in
getting connected, but remind them of two things always: 1) it is a PRIVILEGE
to have access to the latest and greatest technology and 2) imaginative play,
running around outside, and face to face interactions with peers still provides
the healthiest opportunity for the development of strong social skills. Papers
still can be written by hand, house phones, a.k.a. landlines, do ring up their
friends, reading a book by the fireplace is still one of the best, most relaxing
pastimes around, and spontaneous play outside in the fresh air is F-U-N. In
other words, balance is key!
Set healthy limits. It is okay to set time limits on the
computer, television, or X-Box. It’s also important to put all electronics away
during certain parts of the day. As a role model for your child, practice disconnecting
from the electronic world when interacting in the real world (dinners together,
in line at a grocery store, out with friends, holidays…). And most importantly,
find time to play – without electronics. Whether it’s a card game, board game,
sports, art, or dramatic play, show your children how to HAVE FUN interacting
in real time! If you start this when your children are younger, they will grow
up knowing these non-electronic activities are also important parts of life!
I will end by sharing one of my favorite memories: when I was a
child, I used to love to create forts. Fashioned between my sister’s and my
beds, blankets topped the forts and were held in place by books and pillows.
Flashlights, cards, more pillows, and toys were inside. Another blanket acted
as the door to the outside world, and we hid away and played in the fort. I
remember giggling often. Two D batteries to power up the flashlight were all
the electronics needed for hours of fun!
