Dec14

The Technology of Parenting

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Formula 1 World Champions Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel were at Abu Dhabi’s Ferrari World to experience the world’s tallest loop rollercoaster.

When I mentioned it to Sid that evening, his first question was – “Can you tell me which of the two F1 drivers rank higher?”

Did it matter now? I wondered. But then it did, for Mr. Vettel was Sid’s F1 God, so much so, that I was caught bewildered when I happened to find a haphazard cut-out of the F1 driver brandishing a popular brand of an electric shaver that he endorsed, stuck in Sid’s diary.

So I pretended to check my e-mails when I was already at Google’s doorstep for an answer to his question.

Being a generation of children growing up in a world surrounded by technology and the internet, parents often find themselves ‘catching up’ with them digitally. Google has been my perpetual life saver; however, there are instances when I ask Sid  to let me know the answer to his questions as I, like him, am willing to learn too!

Digital learning and e-books have saved our children’s backs – literally, with voluminous books at their fingertips, but whatever happened to cursive writing and spellings. I have caught Sid write ‘terrific’ with a ‘k’ and ‘wear’ almost always confused with ‘where’.

Little Princess, who has made her way into the world where IPads, smartphones, and high-speed internet is as essential as the air we breathe is under the impression that every piece of living or non-living thing can be brought back to life ‘with charge’.

During our last visit to Kerala, a glow worm caught her attention. When the worm ceased to glow, her solution was ‘come on, let’s charge it.’

Can a toddler who is born into a world ruled by technology be blamed for saying that?

Being one among a generation of parents who lived a childhood free of technology, I consider it vital for children to be well informed and encourage the wise use technological advancements to their advantage as much as they are required to be in the company of ‘real’ friends playing ‘real’ games and reading ‘real’ books;  for all the technology cannot sum up the joys of ‘real’ friendship and the feel and smell of ‘real’ books!

What do you think?

32 responses »

  1. Very well summed up, pranitha. One of my friends son, often says, I want a little sister. Let’s order on Amazon.
    It’s the age of technology, and we cannot prevent them from being exposed to it, probably strike up the right balance between technology and non technology.

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  3. Charging the glow worm? Really? 😂😂
    Can’t really blame the kids now, can we? I guess it grows more out of peer pressure and comparison. I try keeping in control by reading ‘physical’ books which in turn encourages A Jr to do the same. We can try and instill these habits while they are still young and within our earshot. 😉😃

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  4. Wow, Pranitha so much here to comment on…first off, to answer Sid’s question – it’s Lewis Hamilton & Nico Rosberg. Although Nico just announced that he’s leaving F1. And no I didn’t google, I’m an F1 fan (and Lewis fan!) Vettel’s good too 😉 I didn’t grow up with technology, but I have worked in the field for my whole adult life and I hear you with “real games and real friends” but I’m a convert as far as books, my iPad can hold 1000’s of books (and it does!) and weighs less than 2lbs which I can take anywhere and not deplete the trees. But as far as learning the basics, I find that technology has definitely hindered the ability for this generation to spell or even see the value in knowing correct spelling, grammar, and the rest of the “r’s”. There’s definitely benefits and I think parents just need to be diligent to make sure their kids get the best of both worlds, like our parents did for us – because they had their “wholesome” upbringing that we didn’t in their eyes. Some of this is simply generational differences, and each generation has their new thing. Obviously, you are doing all you can to ensure your kids have some balance, and I guess that’s all any of us can do – be mindful. Great, thought-provoking post! Thanks! 🙂

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  5. alas we’ve come to charging glowworms! inevitably, our kids have been caught up in the age and vagaries the ‘e-world’, denying them the niceties of the ‘real world’. yes indeed google has been, and has come to be our face-saver on more occasions than one for all of us(increasingly so); good write-up!

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  6. An excellent write up Pranitha, very relevant to today’s times. We are a generation who had a technology free childhood. But our kids are born into an age of technology. So we really can’t blame them. The most challenging task is to make them realise there is a life beyond gadgets and google!!
    Btw, I loved your daughter’s logic of charging the glow worm………so adorable ❤

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  8. Your cartoon image made me smile – my thoughts on technology go something like this, we live with both candlelight and electricity, if we can live with the physical and virtual world in the same way, we should be O.K. I love your little one’s thoughts on the glow worm, she’s very innovative!

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  10. Wonderfully written, and true to the core… I agree, we need to restrict the impact of technology on the kids… Saying so is easy, but implementing, not sure… When most parents are glued to their phones or laptops, what else can the kids be expected to learn?

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  11. Aww that is cute. Charging the glow worm. As you said, we can’t blame the children. With the advancement of technology, even we sometimes think this way involuntarily. For instance, when I write in my diary and I am confused about a spelling, my initial thought is, ‘If it is wrong, the red line will appear’ and suddenly I laugh at myself 😀

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  12. A lovely post and very important. I grew up where imagination played a vital role in the 80’s, now there’s technology for literally everything. I wouldn’t want my future children to be exposed to the technology where laziness and problems following it are on epidemic heights.

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  13. Pingback: The Technology of Parenting – Robin Babu Orlando

  14. “Can a toddler who is born into a world ruled by technology be blamed for saying that?” No, she doesn’t know exactly how his/her environment operates. I even suggest that he/she won’t know that she belongs to a different species, “Homo Sapiens Immodicus” until is too late.

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  15. Great article. I think it’s all about balance. Our little girl loves playing on the iPad but equally loves drawing pictures and ‘making crafts’ for mummy and daddy. Providing there are boundaries, technology can advance a child’s education for sure. I have Cerebral Palsy and used a laptop in school. Without it my grades would’ve been abysmal!

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Thank you for reading. I would love to know what you think...