By Joshua Palacios
Growing up there were no phones and all we had was the outdoors and of course television. I loved television and the enjoyment it brought to me, but I also loved hanging out with the kids on the block. For me because I was the young one I really looked up to all the kids including my brother who was kind of the leader because he was the oldest and coolest.
Now you see kids spend more time on the cell phones, and there are several things I noticed. More and more parents are using cell phones/tablets as a distraction for the kids, and by all means its great because when you have three kids going crazy, you need some sort of distraction.
Where is the line drawn? Are we just a generation that is much lazier because technology is accessible and kids just are so curious and glued to the technology? I really had to think about how I can do it differently and use the technology to enhance our well being. You see parents push the technology when they get out of hand and you really analyse the situation and say “I ain’t going to be that parent.” Then you meet a girl, have some fun and 18 months later you become that parent. So I ended up doing my research and I didn’t want to become a hypocrite so I gave it a shot.
I took the plunge and went for it but with certain conditions. Due to the fact that kids are becoming more and more distracted and multiple articles online suggest students are failing because of it. I limit the time they use the phone or tablet. Car rides and dinners, no tablets or phone. My family and I decided to control the app usage as best as possible and my main trick is using Google Chromecast. Chromecast is a life saver, and a battery saver when it comes to having everyone watch their shows. Also we are so glad that there are apps out there such as ABC Mouse that can help kids grow where they are struggling, it really allowed us to interact more with the kids and the technology.
I believe in change even if it feels bad. If it seems bad even that can change because nothing is set in stone. There is always a way to turn a negative into a positive. We are in a time where imagination and creativity are thriving. So innovate and evolve with the new technology platforms and we all can work together to make this change happen properly.
References:
WebMD Article by Susan Davis
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/children-and-cell-phones#1
ABC News
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/cellphones-classrooms-contribute-failing-grades-study/story?id=56837614
ABC Mouse
https://www.abcmouse.com/abt/homepage?8a08850bc2=T1823999856.1554189197.8995