A mother is reported as resorting to bribing her teenaged daughter to stay out of the social networking sites. For a month. For hundreds of dollars. I've got a cheaper fix: turn the computer off.
On the chance that there are parents who don't understand the consequences of allowing their kids unsupervised, unrelenting time on the computer/video console/etc., and I don't profess to be an authority on the matter, I will for the record make a few points that are based on what I've heard and read, common sense, and gut feeling.
First of all, if a kid is firmly planted in a chair, they are not out having face to face social interaction, where conflicts, discussion, regular chit chat requires instant appropriate response. Linking over the internet provides a much greater opportunity to lie, be evasive, even aggravate an otherwise benign subject. And talk about taking things out of context! Without the inflection of voice and body posture to put things in context, can't ideas be misconstrued and situations get out of hand until many, many posts later when it may get sorted out? And then how much time has passed?
If said kid is still in that chair, then they are also not out volunteering, playing a sport, pursuing hobbies. The computer provides a singular obsession, and eye-strain is a common side-effect, whereas being out and about not only helps burn calories and theoretically helps everyone sleep better, but there are the distractions and points of interest along the way to our goals that make the trip there more interesting. What I'm talking about is, on the way to the grocery store for their mother, on a bike, maybe they'll come across the neighbour who refuses to cut the lawn (a.k.a mile high weeds) but has, on this special day, not only cut the lawn but put in flowers as well. Now there's a topic for the dinner table!
I want my kids to be computer literate. I also want them to be great keyboardists. But I also want them to have exposure to the simple life of doing things manually, not relying on technology to entertain them or simply move time along. My son finds out how things work and gains exposure to new ideas and interests by being out of the house and trying things. Through a family membership we own to a local attractioin, my son met a celebrity that he would not otherwise have been able to meet and could see how excited his mother was that her child would be touched by someone who excelled in their chosen field and had a keen interest in educating others. That to me, is priceless and would not have happened if I had let my son, who doth protest loudly at being made to leave the house, sit on the sofa with his DS Lite all afternoon.
It is far easier to give in to the complaints by those naturally-higher-decibelled voices and their quasi-justifiable reasons why they need to continue to be plugged in, but parents need to be strong. This is a values lesson you are giving them. It's also a chance for mature discussion about pros and cons. Don't expect them to accept your wisdom though, kids can be very single-minded, and I think it's often their insecurities that drive them to, despite their better judgement, be panicked enough to at all costs stay in the loop of their peers. You know? One post not returned could signify lack of interest by postee and therefore deny them from any future posts. That would be death as we know it, eh?
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