Happy end of the semester everybody! This is a blog I wanted to use as somewhat of
a conclusion to the school year and with that I understand that a lot of you
may not have the time to respond and that is alright! I encourage everybody to at least watch the video at the end of the blog!
In a world where technology is consistently
becoming more available and advanced, it is important for parents to set
guidelines for their children when it comes to social media use. Technology is awesome and it is amazing how
much we can do and sometimes it is hard to think what life would be without
it. We use it to connect, to inform, to
remember, to forget and for just about everything else. I do not remember the last time I needed to
print out directions, instructions, recipes or anything else of that nature. Virtually everything is at our fingertips and
it makes most things quite easy. I
almost can’t remember what life was like without my phone or my computer. I feel like I “need” my phone for
everything. I can use it to talk to my
friends, coworkers, parents and family.
I can use it to look up my schedule, watch my favorite television show, pay for my Starbucks drink or get a live stream of the Vikings losing.
I work at a restaurant and I cannot
count the amount of times that I have brought food out to a family and the children
were too busy on their I-Pad to acknowledge that someone was serving them,
bringing them their food and doing THEM a favor. I believe it is important for
children to know that real conversations ALWAYS come before the ones we have
through social media or by texting on our phones. I previously worked at a summer camp for
several years and we set aside one day a week in which children could have
their cell phones, unless it was for an emergency in which they could use it sooner.
1. When it comes to technology and parent child
relationships, what are a few guidelines that are important when it comes to
electronics use?
2. Something to think about with all of the
different gadgets that are available, when is the right age for a child to have
their own phone, computer, or other technical device?
Great video Chelsea! One guideline that parents should enforce are time spent on electronics. In my opinion, children should be allowed a certain amount of time during the day to use electronics, but the rest of the time should be spent on other activities which involve social interactions or physical activity. Another guideline that parents should enforce is that technology can only be used after everything is done that needs to get done for the day, such as chores and homework, so that technology use is a reward and a privilege, rather than a right. Parents also need to monitor their child's online presence and technology use in accordance to the child's age, and to make sure to tell their child that this is a requirement if the child wants to use electronics.
ReplyDeleteI think that the right time for a child to have their cell phone is when they are old enough to do things without adult supervision, such as staying home alone or going places with just their friends. Therefore, the technology can be intended for safety purposes and also easier communication between parent and child. For computers, I don't think that the child should have their own computer until they have a specific reason, such as needing it for school.
I think a guideline that parents should have for their children is the amount of time they spend on their technology. I think when it comes to breakfast, lunch, and dinner time with the family, technology should not be present. That it a special time to talk to your family and see how everyone is doing and what not. I also think screen time before bed should be limited as well as kids now a days are spending a lot of time on their technology before bed which makes them sleep less during the night and be extra tired during the day which can affect their performance in school.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how Katelyn commented and said how technology should be a reward and a privilege, not a right. I think that is a great point because if children start to spend to much time on their technology, they will start to become lazy and not help around the house as much as before because they are going to be so sucked into social media. Which can cause conflict with the parent and child as well.
I think children that are about 12-15 should be allowed to receive a cell phone. I did not receive a cell phone till I was 15 years old. It sucked at the time, but I am glad I did not get it sooner because I know it would have affected how I did in school and my relationship with my parents. I think for a computer, I would say 12-14 years old because of school and their homework assignments might start to increase and what not, but not to play games or anything.
Such an awesome video! I agree with Katelyn and Megan in the guideline of limiting time spent on technology, but also would instill the guideline of letting the parent or guardian be able to check the phone and not allowing a TV in the bedroom. Its important to limit the time spent on technology so the child doesn't become attached and they can spend more time outside or doing something creative. It is also important for parents to monitor what their child is doing on their device. Check out the people they talk to and monitor the sites they use and interact with. I think parents should encourage devices for educational use and try to have games and content that are educational that way the child can learn while playing. I also think its important to not put a TV in a childs bedroom. I never had one in my room growing up and I think it was a good decision by my parents. I probably would have watched TV every night and never would have gotten a good nights sleep. I know people who have to have the TV on just to fall asleep and I think that is crazy and shouldn't be that way. All the switching of images and flashes of light mess with peoples brain and cause them to not get the proper sleep they need, which then in turn can lead to many other problems.
ReplyDeleteI think when children enter middle school, roughly age 12-13 years old, they should be allowed to have a phone. Typically at this age parents start allowing them to be home by themselves or they start having more after school activities and its a great way to give them some more responsibility while still keeping in contact and making sure they are safe and where they are suppose to be.
One thing that I have really seen as an issue even in my own family is the age at which children get a cell phone. When I got a cell phone I was 13, in middle school, and constantly needing to get a hold of my parents for a ride as the school I went to did not having busing that went to my house. I got an old flip phone with no texting on it, and it was silly how excited I was about it! But that is not the norm anymore. Now a child almost never gets an old phone for their first phone, and especially not a flip phone. Smartphones rule the world. My aunt and uncle recently had this huge dilemma in their house about when to get their daughters a phone. They have twin girls that are now 11 years old. My uncle was beyond worried about social media and the dangers it holds. He was anxious about the interactions they would have with others, cyberbullying, and inappropriate content...all which are valid concerns. My aunt on the other hand, thought that their girls are very responsible and with good communication would understand what was allowed. After much debate the girls got a phone for Christmas. But I was surprised which phone they got. They got the brand new Iphone. They did not get their parents old phone, a cheap-o phone, or anything I would have gotten as my first phone, and I think that this is a problem. Children in today's world come to expect the best technology. They are impatient when things don't work perfectly right away or if they have to wait for something to load. They also have come to expect the newest and the best to be in their lives. It's sad to me.
ReplyDeleteMy answers for these questions are based on my personal experience with technology. I was given a cell phone in fourth grade and to be honest, I don't even remember a world without one. Because of this, I remember prank calling and downloading games etc, I lacked the responsibility that a child should have when they get a cell phone. Along with that, I think limiting access to a childs phone/ technology usage. Taking away phones before bed/not allowing technology in the their bedroom until they enter high school. Technology is such a distraction and I lost a lot of hours asleep to it (still do). I also know from growing up in a house with no boundaries on technology that nothing good comes from having online access and privacy in the bedroom. I remember entering chat rooms with my friends because it was "funny". I think limiting the usage and the privacy until children become more responsible and aware of their surroundings, especially online, is crucial.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most important guidelines for parents is not only limiting time that their children use technology, but providing their children with real-world experiences that cannot be achieved with a phone. More specifically, we talked in class about the "if-then" activities. If a child is allowed one hour of free media time, then the family must go on a walk together, or something similar, without phones. Kids are so attached to phones these days and as Ashley mentioned, their brains are wired to be so involved in the now. They can't wait for things to load and they don't know what to do if they're bored without media. I think it is important that kids actually get outside and let their brains wire in ways that technology won't do.
ReplyDeleteI believe the age of needing a phone or personal computer comes with responsibility. When a child/pre-teen begins to do things independently and needs ways to get in contact with their parents, a phone is perfect. I do, however, wish that there were better phones for that age group. Given a smart phone, there are endless possibilities for the harsh reality of social media. But in society, kids given an older flip phone without apps will most likely be made fun of. The norms today are so contradicting, which leaves a lot of the decisions and monitoring up to the parents and their opinions.
I really liked that video and you do make some awesome points in your blog post. In regards to my thoughts on guidelines that I feel are important with the use of electronics I think they should vary based on the child. I know when I was growing up, obviously electronics and technology weren't as prevalent, we didn't have guidelines because there were other activities for us to do like going outside. Unfortunately we live in a different society today and kids don't necessarily want to go play outside when they can just sit on their iPad so I think parents should choose what they feel is appropriate up to just a few hours a day.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I didn't get a cell phone till I was in middle school and I feel like that was a pretty solid age to get ushered into the world of cellphones. I agree with my parents standing on this and also agree with them that it shouldn't be anything special but perhaps a flip phone that the child can prove they are able to be responsible with.
I think its important to teach kids how to use technology in moderation,and how to balance it with other activities such as exercise, sports, music, friends, family, etc. Another guideline I would want kids to learn is to make sure that they don't use technology as a way to cop out from being a good friend, sibling, person and continue to be engaged with the people who love them. I think our culture is becoming more and more disengaged in some ways, and a lot of people are becoming poorer friends and dating partners because they make excuses over the phone, and don't respond to some friends but post pictures of themselves with other people on social media. I feel like the substance of relationships can be lost in that kind of behavior and its a guideline I would want to be sure my kid was aware of.
ReplyDeleteWow! that video is phenamonal Chelsea. To be honest I may confess that I am gulity of being attached to my technical devices as well. I really don't remember the last time that I put away my phone to have a memorable and joyable time with the people around. At some point I must be using my phone or computer which is vey distracting. When it comes to Parent-child relationships i think that parents should try to regulate and minimize the use of electronics with their child as much as possible. from my own experience, As a child technology was not such a popular thing, we tended to value and indulge more on social time with friends and families then Tv, and to be honest those were the most memorable times of my life. They were my " Good old Days" If I may say. This is because i could actually recall most of my favorite moments and have a good time falling back and talking to them with my friends and family. I was more caught up with the physical moment then the television. All in All from this point, I feel that parents should minimize the time of electronic devices and show them the nice and enjoyable things in spending more quality time with others in theor surrounding.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I would like to add that this is mostly a first world problem i.e the western and european countries have developed and advanced faster than third world or developing countries that ths problem is mainly on their children and future generation. I remember that I lived in kenya for a couple of years and this was not such a big deal or a problem in their environment. This is because children were more indulged in their schools (schools there are open for more hours a day than the U.S) that they don't have time for electronics. They attention spans and level of understanding were also very high and impressive. this is due to spending time on what was really important. That's whay it is very important increse more social and connected time for children. whether it's putting more work (positive work) in school or just spending wuality time with the people around them. this will enable the child to develop some positive social skills like aquiring a sense of friendliness and manners. i.e cooperation and sharing. Also a sense of identity, and formation of important relationships along the way.
I feel as though technological use between parents and children should only be necessary when they aren't together. Nowadays, people feel the need to communicate even when they are physically in the same household and I think that's just absurd. Because my parents aren't as hi-tech as other parents, we still communicate verbally. The only time my parents would ever use technology to communicate with me is if I'm out and they need to know where my whereabouts are.
ReplyDeleteI think parents should give cellphones to kids when they are at an age where they start to become independent from the parent and aren't physically around their parents. I didn't receive my first cellphone until I was 15 or 16. Personally, I think that's a perfect age for kids to have cellphones. However, nowadays, I notice kids younger than 10 having iPhones or other smartphones that aren't necessary.
Parents need to set boundaries on the amount of time children use technology. Growing up my family had a TV in the living room that I was allowed to watch with my parents. At some point my parent's asked me if I wanted a TV for my room and I told them no. I didn't understand why I would want one in my room if I could watch in the living room. Later, I realized that my parents wanted to be able to watch their shows while I watched mine. That Christmas I got a TV even though I said that I didn't want one. This seemed to happen a lot. I would ask for one thing and my parents would get me the more technological version of it. I asked for a CD player, I got an Ipod, I asked for books, I got a kindle. My parents trusted that I would use it wisely, and I did. My cousin's on the other had always got the latest video game system or computer programs and they would spend hours upon hours on them. As adults they are unable to function without the use of technology. The type of boundaries and expectations of technology really need to be dependent on the type of child that you have.
ReplyDeleteYour comment on how you worked at a summer camp reminded me of last year when I didn’t have a phone for over a month and hopefully this story answers one of your two questions. But, anyways, I didn’t have a phone for almost six weeks last year. And at first I hated it! Without a question. You can’t set your alarm clock on your phone, you don’t have a way of knowing the time, if you don’t own any watches like me. You can’t check the weather updates. Some arguably pretty serious things and after about two weeks I got used to the lifestyle living without a phone and for me, my main form of technology since I do not also own a computer as well. Since, I didn’t own a phone I had to rely on other people. Random people. Bus drivers. Commuters. Workers at Target. Anyone in eyesight in order to get where I had to get going. Thus, it made me realize that you don’t need to live with a phone. We just choose to. Why? Simple, convenience. So what am I getting at?
ReplyDeleteThe point that I would like to raise is that our kids do not need phones until they learn the value of one, until they learn how to communicate with their family members and parents, or until either the parent "have"" to give their child a phone, because it is the easiest or most convenient way to get ahold of their child(ren).
However, I would advise everyone to try to live without technology or a phone for a day or maybe even longer. You may learn something about yourself. Something that you weren't capable of knowing you could do. Or even better, firsthand meet new people.
P.S. - the line that worked best for me was, "Do you know what time it is? I have a watch, but it doesn't work...."
Never fails to start a conversation.