| | | | Technology and Your Child |
By Glenn A. Hascall
We live in a world that demands entertainment. That entertainment is often found in TV's, PSP's, ipods, cell phone text messaging, DVD's, and CD's. Children are not immune from the entertainment culture; they know more about that culture than their parents. And the technologies that make them work are generally a breeze for children to master.
There are many amazing entertainment choices that may be right for your family, but there may be choices that your children are making while accessing technologies you don't understand. The choices they may be making could ultimately be harmful to them and ultimately - your family.
Parents are given one of the hardest tasks known to mankind - they must raise an impressionable child to adulthood and there is no manual that covers all issues for each child, and children in the 21 st century are barraged with an incredible amount of media and pop culture impressions. Sometimes we allow the world of technology to fall into the hands of children who are incapable of knowing how to use it properly - no matter how technically gifted your child may be.
You may believe that your child is doing homework in their room, but they could be online chatting with someone they don't know and who may not have your child's best interest in mind. Even with comprehensive internet filters for families, your child may be able to access sites and carry on instant messages with people you may not be comfortable with and you might not even be aware of the issue.
It may be in your family's best interest to learn more about the technological interests of your child. If they enjoy video games, find out what they are playing. It may be that you can join them in harmless fun or you may see that guidance in a new direction is needed.
If you purchase cell phones for your child's use it may be prudent to randomly ask to review phone numbers and text messages as long as your child knows up front that this is a condition of the 'privilege' of personal cell phone use. It may not be appropriate to arbitrarily demand the phone if they have not been made aware that this is your expectation. If your child already has a cell phone, make sure they know that there may be a change in policy and give them time to adjust to the new accountability.
Find out what your child is listening to, what their viewing choices are and then play a role in helping your child understand good choices are a learned skill. You might even discover that you may have a few new electronic connections with your child.
If your child is overly defensive or gets angry when limits are placed on electronic activity it may signal that there is good cause to be concerned.
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