Technology. It is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Or is it? I will admit that I am a bit of a tech junkie. I love my laptop (as evidenced by the indentations on my lap) and am in process to purchase an iPhone (I already have an iTouch but it just doesn't seem to be enough!). I will also admit that I waaaaaay overcheck my e-mail. Ever since my daughter said, "You are always on your stupid laptop!" I have significantly cut down on my time. I try to do my surfing, blogging, etc., after they are upstairs for bed, etc. Heck, I've even been known to only get on my computer ONCE on Saturdays and Sundays!
Granted, it is still a work in progress, but I am committed to not let technology interfere with my relationship with my children and husband. In addition, I want to model appropriate use of technology. Here is a great article that discusses WHY we as parents need to consider our use of technology and how it can interfere with our time with our kids. Be sure to check out the links in the article -- they are very interesting.
Okay, now that I've talked about our own need to be responsible tech users, lets talk about kids. My impetus for this post was not my own kids use of technology as they really don't have any :) They do not have cell phones, get very limited use of the computer and/or internet, and use of video games requires clean rooms first (surprisingly, I thought this would motivate them to clean their rooms, but alas, messy rooms trumph the desire for wii time -- I guess that's a good thing?). But, as we draw nearer to those teen years, we are already thinking and wondering how to keep our kids from becoming tech addicted.
Case in point, in Japan, they are so concerned about children's addiction to cell phones, that the government is getting involved. Check this out. Isn't that crazy?! Has it come to this? Apparantly so.
I often worry about kids today. Is it just me, or has anyone else out there noticed an unusual number of teens who seem to be lacking social skills? Is it a sign of the times that we have to tell our staff at the restaurant that there is no texting or cell phone use while on shift? My theory is that kids are so relying on technology to communicate that they are not getting the experience and practice they need to develop strong personal skills. That's just my theory...
What would happen if we asked ourselves and our kids to forgo technology for a week? Interestingly enough, NBC did just that. They asked several teens to go without echnology for week. The results were eye opening. Check this out:
What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you model good tech use? Do you limit your children's use of technology? Post your thoughts!
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