Days of long ago still ring clear in my head. Long ago, we used to get in our car and go visit a friend or relative. We used to call on the house land line phone to talk. Also remembering the days that we could not wait until Saturday because we got to go outside and play. Building play houses or a tree house, or hoola-hooping in the front yard, riding our bikes or just playing with the neighborhood kids.
Now, it’s a thing of the past. Some homes do not have land line phones and some children do not even know what they are. And some kids refuse to do anything outside. We make suggestions and tell them of some things we used to do as children. Welcome to the world of electronics.
In today’s time, there is Tweeting, texting, Facebook, Skyping, emailing (just to name a few) and long distance relationships all by the touch our keyboarding hands.
But for us older generation folks, we cannot help but wonder what this is all doing to our children.
I am not saying that the world of technology and electronics are bad for our kids. I think it is wonderful. In moderation. However after having 2 children of my own and as the electronic world was booming and still is, I had to fight each day to get them out of in front of the computer to do their homework. They would be on the computer from dawn until dusk and then some if I allowed it. They were quick to text someone, instant message someone, email someone but could not carry on a conversation with anyone. They lacked the ability to communicate with a live person. When asked a question, their little faces drew a blank.
Forget about going outside and getting some exercise…. To them that was punishment. Forget about going to the movies, bowling or skating, that was old school. To them a perfect day and a fun day was sitting in front of a screen all day. Hour after hour they would sit only to come out of their room unless hungry or the need to go potty. Ask them what they are doing and the reply was “I don’t know” just playing.
To some parents that would all be a blessing because we knew where they were all safe and sound in the comfort of the home. They were out of our “hair” so to speak but what kind of life is this for a child?
I began questioning my own sense of being a good parent. I wondered if perhaps they just didn’t want to do things with me and began talking to other parents and they were complaining of the same situation.
At that point in time I took control of what my kids were doing. I put blocks on their phones (no surprise phone bills anymore). I did a check of all the websites they were visiting and found out some things I really didn’t want to know but I had to face the fact that the evils that are available for children to view are out there and it was up to me to protect them for as long as I could. So at that time I blocked certain webpages. I gave them time on the computer but it was an allowance of time. And I explained to them that computer time was not a physical need , it was a privilege and if the privileges were broken then so did the allowance of time.
It took time and persistence but the outcome was great. The two kids who wouldn’t communicate with anyone because they did not know how, turned out to be very respectable people with the gift of gab.
The electronic/technology world we live in is great but we all need to have that human contact. It is essential for growth and well-being.
So I urge any parent who has had experiences similar to this one to take charge and give your child the gift of living outside of the “box”. I did and so can you. Just figure out how you are going to do it and if you want to do it and then the rest is up to you.