Smart Technology and Our Family - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly And The Stupid
When you think about it, personal computers have only become omni-present within the last 10 years.
Techno-access has changed the texture of family life through its evolution.
As parents, we must give serious thought to the internet and our family: the good, the bad, the ugly and the stupid.
Awareness will, hopefully, help parents stay on track for the best interests of our children.
Back when, my family would gather to watch The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday nights.
Remember Topo Gigio, the mouse? The Beatles? My family experienced these novelties together.
At our house today, no one ever wants to watch the same show.
Invariably someone pulls up their choice on their computer.
As the single parent, I try to watch what interests my children, at least sometimes.
It is a sincere effort to connect with them, a conversation opener to chat, to laugh together and occasionally to get into deeper, more soulful topics.
But then we are interrupted by a text message on someone's cell phone and our connection is put on hold...
Even in the days of land line only telephones, where was it written that a phone call trumped present communication? When I grew up, family dinner time was inviolate.
During dinner, the phone was ignored.
If a call was really important, it was expected that the caller would try again.
Today, they will text, email and leave a voice mail.
I insist that calls do not interrupt family dinners.
Most of the time that is a good thing, except when a child expecting an "important text" insists that her whole life will be over if she misses anything.
Then dinner can become an experience full of teenage angst.
I do it anyhow, hoping that somewhere, deep down, the value of family time will score a point or two.
Which is not to say that everything tech is bad.
Computer access is an amazing tool when it comes to homework assistance, research at your fingertips and feeding the 'need to know' beast.
It is both fun and gratifying to work on a project with a child, ask a question and follow a line of inquiry much farther than could ever have been done before, just by clicking your mouse.
Knowledge is a wonderful thing.
Until it becomes information overload.
The fast return on an inquiry and the massive responses require a child to learn time management much earlier.
This skill can exceed a child's capacity.
The need for parental supervision is paramount.
There is so much that is ugly, scary and stupid in online world that our children will bear witness to without our knowledge if we don't keep our communication lines open with them.
That ability to be present is one of the reasons I am grateful to work from home.
When you consider the good, the bad, the ugly and the stupid that is out there (and I've only touched upon the tip of the iceberg), this job 'perk' is truly invaluable.
Techno-access has changed the texture of family life through its evolution.
As parents, we must give serious thought to the internet and our family: the good, the bad, the ugly and the stupid.
Awareness will, hopefully, help parents stay on track for the best interests of our children.
Back when, my family would gather to watch The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday nights.
Remember Topo Gigio, the mouse? The Beatles? My family experienced these novelties together.
At our house today, no one ever wants to watch the same show.
Invariably someone pulls up their choice on their computer.
As the single parent, I try to watch what interests my children, at least sometimes.
It is a sincere effort to connect with them, a conversation opener to chat, to laugh together and occasionally to get into deeper, more soulful topics.
But then we are interrupted by a text message on someone's cell phone and our connection is put on hold...
Even in the days of land line only telephones, where was it written that a phone call trumped present communication? When I grew up, family dinner time was inviolate.
During dinner, the phone was ignored.
If a call was really important, it was expected that the caller would try again.
Today, they will text, email and leave a voice mail.
I insist that calls do not interrupt family dinners.
Most of the time that is a good thing, except when a child expecting an "important text" insists that her whole life will be over if she misses anything.
Then dinner can become an experience full of teenage angst.
I do it anyhow, hoping that somewhere, deep down, the value of family time will score a point or two.
Which is not to say that everything tech is bad.
Computer access is an amazing tool when it comes to homework assistance, research at your fingertips and feeding the 'need to know' beast.
It is both fun and gratifying to work on a project with a child, ask a question and follow a line of inquiry much farther than could ever have been done before, just by clicking your mouse.
Knowledge is a wonderful thing.
Until it becomes information overload.
The fast return on an inquiry and the massive responses require a child to learn time management much earlier.
This skill can exceed a child's capacity.
The need for parental supervision is paramount.
There is so much that is ugly, scary and stupid in online world that our children will bear witness to without our knowledge if we don't keep our communication lines open with them.
That ability to be present is one of the reasons I am grateful to work from home.
When you consider the good, the bad, the ugly and the stupid that is out there (and I've only touched upon the tip of the iceberg), this job 'perk' is truly invaluable.
Source...