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I have been speaking professionally about social media for the past few years. And, every time I wrap up a keynote, the questions from the audience quickly turn from business-related inquires to child-related inquiries. In other words, the parents want answers to what exactly their kids are doing in our new wired world. Not only do they want answers, they want explanations as to why technology makes our children act they way they do.
The biggest complaint I hear from moms and dads is that their pre-teens and teens are constantly distracted. There are stories about offspring sitting at the dinner table, cellphone in hand, or hanging out at family events, Gameboy in tow. A typical parental reaction is that technology is ruining our children’s ability to socialize. I, being a tech enthusiastic, will argue quite the opposite.
It’s not the gadgets and gizmos that are to blame. There are numerous examples about how technology can help kids learn, and even how video games can be good for creativity, collaboration, and cooperation skills. Heck, when we look into the future, there are emerging technologies, such as augmented reality, that can help young ones learn in new and interactive ways (take a look at this AR t-shirt to see for yourself).
So, if your son or daughter wants to talk on their cellphone during dinner or game away in the corner during grandma’s birthday, it might be time to teach them a lesson or two in good manners. Set limitations for tech use, just like you would for any other activity (in other words, it's rude to bring a magazine to the dinner table or turn on the TV while grandma is blowing out her bday candles, so gadget use shouldn’t be treated any differently).
Of course don’t listen to me. My son is only a year old, meaning that his only experience with technology is limited to slobbering on the remote control. However, as he does get older, I plan to make cell-free and game-free times in the house, and teach when to turn these shiny things on and off.
How do you manage tech in your home? As parents, let’s help each other out as we navigate these new waters. But, again, let’s not blame tech for bad manners.
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