Is Technology always a good thing for kids?

There is no doubt that technology has changed our lives for the better in a number of ways, but we have sacrificed a lot that is important as these so-called “advances” have come down the pike. The rapid transference of information that is now possible via the Internet may be the single best thing that has come out of the rush toward technology over the last couple of centuries, and the impact of this ready availability of information hasn’t yet been fully understood. There is much that can be considered when you measure the pros and cons of technology, but today the topic is children, nature, fun and exercise.

If you look back on the era prior to video games, DVDs, and even the ubiquity of children’s programming on television, the life of a child growing up was far different. Kids would attempt to assuage their boredom by going outside and playing, and invariably, children throughout the neighborhood would connect and have fun together playing games, sports, or what have you. In this way they would get some exercise, be exposed to fresh air and sunshine (and sometimes rain and mud, but that can be fun too), and they would also get to know one another and build friendships and a sense of community. These connections would sometimes last for many years, and in some instances, for entire lifetimes.

I know that some children still do all of the above today, but it is simply not the same. Home ownership is not as universal for young families, and with both parents working and considering the ready availability of video baby sitters, many children become “latchkey” kids who stay indoors for the most part. The exercise and connection with the outdoors and the rest of the neighborhood children is less common than it once was, and this is one more way that the heart and soul of the American experience has been swallowed up by a global corporate agenda.