Analog Parents with Digital Kids

I think of myself as being relatively savvy with technology.

When my computer freezes up, I can usually fix it. I can text. I use Twitter (occasionally). I (obviously) use the internet to pass on info that is relevant to families today. You would think that my approach to electronic information would be similar to my kids.

But there is one thing  is that I tend to forget: I have slowly integrated these technologies into my life. My kids, on the other hand, have always had them. They never knew what it was like to go without. Their minds have easily learned to multi-task just like my computer does. So this generation is dramatically different than ours.

One additional thing that marks the next generation is that they are almost always connected. In addition to having the world at their fingertips via the internet, they are connected to the influence of their peers, non-stop. This happens via Facebook, text messages, online video games, and much more. Throw in a smartphone and you can see why there is a significant increase in the number of traffic accidents for teens: the temptation to stay connected while driving is sometimes too powerful.

I encourage you to read Albert Mohler's blog post on this subject. Then consider how you can help your kids to find a healthy balance in their digital lives.