Raising a Tech Generation

I read an article about young Thomas Suarez, a sixth-grader who at his young age, already has developed several phone apps, started an app-club at his school, and by Yahoo News is being named "a pre-teen tycoon in training". As young Suarez points out, today's generation often has better computer skills by the time they reach their teens than most of us parents ever will have. Which they should. They grow up with computers and technology we never had.

I remember when our schools and offices had no computers, and certainly a time without cellphones.  Remember the ancient pager?  When those first came out, I thought it was so awful that people would want to be reachable at all times. "You can call me at home. If I'm not there, I'm busy with something else, and probably don't have time to talk to you anyway" was my thing. Now I will turn around and go back home if I left my cellphone...how times change.

Photo by Tina Phillips/FreeDigitalPHotos.net

As much as I think it's good that today's children learn technology, I am starting to think we are over doing it.  A study done by AVG last year, found that children as young as two can play games on phones and computers; before they learn basic life skills.  I think a lot of good can come from playing games on the phone and computer (although I will admit if I was allowed to sensor games, a lot of today's games would not be on the market!), but is it not imperative that they also learn to dress themselves and put shoes on? 

Learning new technology is all well and good, but it is just as important that they develop social skills as well as problem solving skills involving people, not characters on a screen?  The skills a toddler learns on a playground is invaluable, and cannot be taught by any technology.  The physical skills they develop by riding a bike, hiking, swimming, climbing trees and running around in a park - again, cannot be learned through technology.  Say what you want about the benefits of Wii games, in my mind, it will never measure up to what they learn naturally by playing outside. 

My kids grew up with playing outside every single day, rain or shine, and still love it. We ride our bikes occasionally, walk a lot, and they can run around playing for hours. So imagine my reaction when we had their friends over for a day, and as we were getting ready to go to the park, their friends asked me to pack their Nintendo games so they wouldn't be bored (?!). Or when we brought another boy to the park, and he could barely manage to run the length of a football field. Or, when at the age of 12, their friend still doesn't know how to swim. What are we doing to our kids?

Photo by Arvind Balaraman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

"Technology free weeks" at our house, are usually the best ones. Rather than sitting in front of the computer, watching TV, playing video games or talking/texting on the phone; the kids are forced to activate themselves by using their toys (which by then they usually have forgotten about), playing board games (or "bored games" as they call them) - and discover that spending time together doing so, is actually a lot of fun. They use their craft kits and create a lot of fun stuff - which they proudly present to grandparents, aunts and uncles and neighbors; they create their own imaginary games (really? Kids still have imagination?), and they write letters....imagine that!  I don't even write letters any more, but a handwritten note is so much more special than an email! And they are always rewarded by either a return letter or a phone call to thank them.  So as much as our days without technology can be trying (....yes, there is a fair portion of whining and arguing the first couple of days), I still think it is so good for them to get away from it all for a few days. 

Photo by Pixomar/FreeDigitialPhotos.net

I don't want to go back to a time without the technology we have today, I am just saying that teaching our children basic life skills, and helping them develop good social skills...and lets not forget basic manners..., as well as making sure they develop healthy physical habits and skills is just as important. All of which require actual human interaction, not technology.