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Challenge: Kids and Technology

Making Sense of the Big World of Possibility

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My children are four and two and already, they’re more tech-savvy than my parents. That’s not to say my parents are behind in any way, but it’s simply a sign of the generational gap that divides them. When I was their age, I was more interested in playing outside in the creek beside my house or spending time with out pet cat than holing up in front of the television taking in the newest episode of my favorite show. Still, for all its downfalls and naysayers, technology can be a great learning tool if we use it correctly. For instance, my daughter learned all of her letters through a Saturday morning cartoon she loves. My son isn’t quite talking in full sentences yet, but he can clearly articulate his favorite characters on his own favorite series.

The takeaway? They’re doing more than sitting on the couch when they’re engrossed in the big screen, though keeping it at a healthy dosage is key. We live on a property that has plenty of room to explore and climb and run around, so I make it a point to get the outdoors for as long as often when the weather permits.

Other times, though, I’m right beside them cueing up the laptop to play our favorite songs so we can have an afternoon dance party in the kitchen. I’m pulling up old home videos of them on my smartphone so they can reminisce with their mama. I’m running online searches to find the answers to their questions and to figure out if their runny nose warrants a trip to the pediatrician or not. Yes, it can be a hindrance when it overtakes daily life, but in small doses, technology can be a game-changer.

As its changed how my children learn, it’s also changed how they see the world. For instance, there are now tech-centric toys made specifically for the 10-and-under market. From gaming apps to drones and every software program in between, there are pint-sized alternatives to many of the tools and gadgets that adults can’t get enough of. As their parent, it’s my job to practice keen discernment. I must figure out which programs are valuable and which are not. I must determine which tools could harm them and which ones are safe to allow. It’s a full-time job just keeping track of how quickly one technology solution becomes obsolete, replaced the next day by something sleeker, cooler and smaller.

In many ways, I relate the pace of tech innovation with the pace of my children’s growth. Both are rapidly changing at a pace I can hardly fathom, and I’m a little afraid I won’t be able to keep pace. If my children can already navigate a tablet better than I can, what does that look like a few years from now or even further down the road? All I can hope is that we all mature gracefully, technology included. In the meantime, I’ll do my best to make our home one of balance, where screens are welcome alongside tons of library books and the backyard gets just as much activity as the built-in television. I’ll remind my children that there is a life and a world outside of what lies a few inches from their face and that if they look up, they just might see something beautiful.

I want them to understand how these tools and toys work and how to use them safely. Careers in science and technology are rapidly advancing and there are even coding clubs at our local elementary schools. If I want them to succeed in the competitive job market not too much farther down the road, I have to embrace the very interests that they do. Today, it’s cartoons. Tomorrow, it might be robotics. All I can do is learn alongside them and explore together. After all, that’s what parenting is all about.

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