Over the last few weeks I have really been thinking about my own kids and technology. On the one hand I have an 11 & 12 year old and on the other a 22 week old. My children are growing up in an age that parents are struggling to keep up with.
On the one hand parents feel technology is just part of their child – it’s the way they stay connected to their friends. It is a must have……
OR is it?????
I would like to give a different perspective. I believe technology is incredibly powerful and I happen to love it. I love that you can be creative and you can have a voice. I use technology with a purpose.
What is the Purpose?
PURPOSE is the key – what is your purpose for allowing your child to have a phone. We see an increase in suicide like never before with the deaths of precious children related to the voices that have been allowed to speak into their lives.
This is a complex issue but it starts with parents being willing to do things differently. To work on helping their children foster real relationships, develop in resilience and social and emotional development. We need to be more deliberate than ever in teaching these skills to our kids.
I believe strongly that technology should be used to BUILD – CREAT – MAKE the World a BETTER place. I want my children to be the ones inspiring, leading and in whatever sphere of life they are in. It is up to me to provide that purpose and direction. As a parent it is up to me help them get the skills they need.
If there is a passion for something how do we turn that into something? Use technology for creation and influencing for the good of others. They will create their own voice and the voices of strangers will hopefully be ignored whispers.
I want my children to be so busy with purpose there is little time for anything else!
What Voices are speaking into your child’s life?
We need to rethink what we do. Maybe you have never thought like this but – What voices are you allowing into your home that speak to your child in the privacy of their world.
A world we may be shut out of. Children rarely want to tell their parents if they are being bullied because they will loose their phones so the secrecy and torment they are experiencing stays hidden.
What voices are commenting on your child’s looks? This may seem so insignificant. Do you know these people and more importantly what gives them the right to comment on your son or daughter. Your most precious and valued? What gives a person a right to speak into your child’s life that may not have their best interest at heart? Who gives them this right?
Important questions to think about…..
- Is your child prone to keeping or hiding things?
- What is your child’s purpose for being on social media / technology?
- What controls are in place on your child’s technology that is age appropriate?
Don’t let the voice of strangers shape your child’s identity.
Let your voice be louder in creating their identity.
Create situations that teach them about their identity
and who they are.
Let’s silence the access to these voices and make our homes a place of rest and security.
Over the next few months I will be exploring
- How to keep your child safe online
- How to build offline skills to help your child in the online world
- How you can create safe devices for your children online
- What the research & experts have to say