Kids' (and parents') dependencies on technology makes me really, really sad.  I understand that technology and screen-based platforms of learning can be beneficial, but I think their uses are out of control.  It absolutely breaks my heart to see kids SO addicted to their phones, for example.  And like you jlove, I remember kids being outside and playing and interacting ALL The time.  Every now and then as we drive around, it REALLY strikes home that I NEVER see kids outside any more.  The world is beautiful and meant to be enjoyed, but so many of us are (willingly) stuck staring at pixels all day.

It also is EXTREMELY hurtful to relationships, which I can personally vouch for.  It doesn't feel nice to come second to a screen in any friendship or relationship, and many kids nowadays express that they feel lonely.  Even I am better at socializing online than in real life, and I don' t consider myself addicted to screens at all.  I'm not even sure I am capable of making a real-life in-the-flesh friend.

I don't want Joel growing up on screens, either.  I know my husband and I will clash on this, and I've spoken with him  about it many times.  I think moderation is key, but that most people don't know how to moderate.  Even if I teach Joel to appreciate the outdoors and amuse himself NOT via screens.... will he be able to find friends of similar mindsets?  What will his field of possibility be when it comes to making friends?

Even physically, screens are very, very bad on the eyes.

And yes, I think technology allows parents to be very, very lazy.  Interactions between children and parents are SO important, and putting a screen between any family members, I'm sure... affects their ability to understand one another and get along at some point.  I'd even be willing to say that our dependencies on technology contribute to the growing number of dysfunctional families.

Oldschool777 :  I agree. I think moderation can really be very beneficial to a child along with consistency. It really teaches them discipline. I do that a lot with my baby nephew and when he is with me he is a completely different toddler than when he is with his mom. With me he is very disciplined, listens, follows rules because he knows I am consistent in taking things away or not getting anything from me unless he deserves it. I think it needs to be that way because as they grow older they become influenced by all they see around them and other kids and it's easy to lose grip on them. I think technology can be just as influential if not more since you can search just about anything and unfortunately many watched videos tend to be fights or negativity so I think it's good to keep an eye on them as they develop and set a balance early in life so they can grow to be in control of their lives. 

It's definitely different nowadays, isn't it? My niece is 7, and knows how to work a phone better than her mom lol.  She can get hooked on it easily though - watching youtube videos - so we have to try and monitor her on it or she has a harder time letting it go the longer she has it. My dad was going to buy her a tablet last christmas (?!?!) but I talked him out of it.. in my opinion, it's just too young of an age for an electronic like that.

I've used technology (gaming and the internet) since I was about 8 - gaming started at 8, and then I got more into it at about 10-12 with both gaming and the internet. My parents were busy so they didn't really force me away from it, and I was never really social as a teen. There's pros and cons with that - I was basically the "computer geek" in my family growing up, and until I got detoured I was not bad at computer-stuff. The con of course is interacting with people IRL was difficult, and still can be today. 

I'm super tired so I'll probably add more to this later on. Good topic.

If anything,you would be teaching your kid limits and moderation and that would help as the child gets older. I remember hearing from my mother that kids in Japan were having a harder time making a dark enough mark with a #2 pencil to be read by a scan grader. The kids were literally too weak to do it effectively,so the kids got switched to a darker pencil. I mean,I could not imagine being so weak that I could not do that. That would scare me.

I replied to everyone but for some reason it is not posting at all. Will get back to these responses later today or tomorrow before I kill this computer lol. Great responses and looking forward to being able to reply to all summoned.

Luigi442wii : I agree; I think we are moving to a more technological way of living and it would not hurt to have our kids learn whatever they can as it is becoming a requirement for a lot of jobs now.


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It's a obviously a good thing of course because these are the kids that will not only use the technology handed to them to learn from it but also might learn innovative ideas to make it easier to use and much more sufficient. Kids really shouldn't bite the hand that feeds them technology or is it that adults shouldn't bite the hand that feeds them innovative technology even if they think it's not beneficial for their child's health.

austipokedude : I agree too. You brought a point, it is clearly very beneficial but, the disadvantages tend to lie more towards the adult as the responsible one. You have to set rules and must be followed. For me one of the rules would be limiting the time spent on it and having to do some outside social activity to balance both. Now, for social media and such, shores and homework should be done first.

I don't think that this is necessarily a bad thing. Technology is a vital necessity nowadays. And people rely on them for lots of things.

This comes with a new need to balance, and watch what kids do online though. Physical activities and playing outside still need to be done to make sure they are at least well-rounded. And basic supervision will be needed for awhile. But going completely "tech-free" or "unplugging" isn't going to solve anything. People just need to moderate their time online, as well as their kid's time as well. Like any good thing, the internet, and things like cell phones and tablets need to be used responsibly.

I think I would expand on what user said.

While tech is a great thing and vital to everyday life nowadays, it should be looked at how much its used and how that is affecting important priorities in life as well as health.

You should read the short story The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury. It was written around the late 40's and he pretty much predicted what society is like now. Everyone at home watching screens, never going outside and not appreciating nature. Anyway I do think kids should learn how to use set technology especially the internet. I remember when I was 5 getting taught how to use Windows XP and how to use google back in 2003. Funnily enough I already knew how to use it as my parents had already taught me. They were good at making sure I wasn't on the computer/playing video games all day.

Mainly I think it varies from person to person. Some people will benefit greatly from increased technological use, while others would benefit much more from being social in person and playing outside more. For those who are physically ill or have certain conditions, technology is probably one of the biggest blessings in their life, being able to communicate and interact with others in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Even people that suffer from extreme social anxiety can learn to gradually overcome the fear by using the Internet to learn how to interact with others while managing the stress associated with it. On the other hand, people need a certain degree of exercise and time spent outdoors to be as healthy as possible. For a lot of people, being outdoors with nature and playing sports will bring them more joy than technology ever could. Many careers require time face to face (and almost every interview ever is that way) whether it be meetings internally or externally with clients, or even just interacting with coworkers. On this side, the less time spent on technology, the better people seem to do (not a guarantee, but it trends in that direction). And for most, it's just a matter of balancing your life for your own personal needs. For myself, I spend much more time on a computer during my free time, but also enjoy sports and exercising outdoors such as running or riding a bike. Hiking through woods with friends and our dogs is also something I greatly enjoy. If you can find a good balance between the two, there will be many more pros than cons. That being said, there's almost no cons to spending too much time outdoors (sunburn maybe?) or with people in person, whereas spending too much time with technology can cause a whole mess of issues.

I apologize if this seems like rambling. I didn't read over anything, just typed it as it came to mind.