One day, I was strolling in a mall when I happened to hear a woman say these exact words. I found it very unusual when I thought about it. How could someone imagine living in the age of technology without, well ‘technology’? But, it turns out, she wasn’t the only one. A lot of parents share the same thought process. They want to keep their kids away from all of it. However, I happen to have different views.
Really! The entire world is surviving because of it.
Technology is not limited to just your phones and other gadgets, it is so much more. It has improved the quality of our life to extents that we could not even begin to think. The entire world is heavily dependent on it. Humor yourself for a second, could you have imagined to survive this pandemic without technology?
Our kids were able to continue their education, people could work, help could reach the needy, and all because even though we were far away from one another we were brought together by technology. Can you fathom how you would have survived the pandemic if it had happened in the good old days where there was no ‘internet and gadgets’? I know I can’t.
If we are thinking that such a tool should be kept away from our kids, then we are mistaken. We can’t keep them away from something that they are living in. It is absurd to think about it.
Embrace technology-it is here to stay.
It is not some trend that is going to fade away. It has become one of the indispensable pillars of the world, rather it has become the world. It is the direction of the flow, so to speak. So, instead of trying to wade against it, go with the flow. It is here to stay no matter whether we like it or not. So, what can we do? Just embrace it!
Technology has become a part of the world, it has become a part of us. The sooner we accept that fact the better it is going to become for us. It is the way for the progress of mankind. So, use it to the best of your abilities for your benefit.
The future for your kids is technology.
Let us consider that you do succeed in cutting off technology from your child’s life. What then? How long do you think you can keep it up? The future of your children is completely based on it. We have to think about our child’s career prospects too.
How many fields do you think your child can choose from that would not require any of them? I can’t think of many, can you?
You need to be preparing your kids for it, not hiding them from it. They need to figure out this world before they think of surviving in it. We are not going to be there for our kids all the time, we need to teach them to fend for themselves in the digital era. And in order to teach them that, you have to make technology their greatest ally.
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However….
When I pondered upon why anybody would want to take such a step, I realized that their concerns are valid. They are definitely not delusional. There is a flip side to everything, technology too. And if one side gets too much for any person, the virtues start to seem a bit redundant.
So, what I thought was instead of taking the extreme step, how about we try something else? Something that is not so barbaric yet it will satisfy our purpose which is to protect our kids.
Teach them the right way.
The only way to really protect our children is by teaching them how to do it themselves. Self defense is the best defense. We cannot be there for our kids all the time, so we need to make sure that we make them capable enough to handle any problems that may come their way.
Your children are a little confused when it comes to using technology. They have exposure to a million different things and it can become too daunting. When there are so many directions they can go in, show them the right one.
Rather than keeping them in a protective shell, teach them the right way to navigate this labyrinth. That is going to be much more helpful for them. Teach them right from wrong and let them handle the rest.
Teach them to limit it.
One of the biggest problems parents are facing these days is their child’s over usage of gadgets. Kids are glued to the screens for a very long time, and it is definitely not healthy. So, when we think about it, our issue is that they are using too much of it. How about we teach our kids to understand the limits rather than not letting them use it at all?
When we teach our kids to set boundaries for themselves, we are not only helping them on the tech front, but we are also giving them an invaluable life lesson.
Another advantage of teaching our kids their limits is that they come to know that you have no vendetta against them and their gadgets. They will be more receptive to your teachings when they know you are not trying to snatch away something that is so dear to them.
Set rules at home.
For any system to run smoothly, you need rules. Rules will ensure that your kids don’t overuse technology, without creating a rift between the two of you. You can avoid so much drama with rules. Now, rules cannot be something that you decide on your own.
You kids need to be a part of it too. When all of you make rules together as a family, it becomes easier for kids to accept them and give their best to follow them.
Make them aware of the dangers.
If you want your kids to do something, you need to help them understand your point of view. It will help them put things in perspective. You have seen what misuse of technology can do to someone, share that with your children. Make them aware of all the things that could go wrong should they make a mistake.
This way, they will themselves become more careful. Our job is to plant these seeds, we do not know when they will become plants, but one thing we can be assured of is that it is going to happen.
So, instead of saying that you don’t want your kids to use technology, you can say that you want your kids to use technology wisely.