Technology is a great thing. I absolutely love technology. In fact, I am currently majoring in Management Information Systems. However, with every great thing comes a negative side. In this case I would have to say children are both benefiting yet being harmed by technology. I am not that old, only 22, but I remember when I was a small child Christmas day was a day you would walk outside and everybody would be out on the sidewalks, parks, streets, etc., using their brand new toys. Parents would help their little ones get one their bikes, show them how to ride them, scooters, or skates. There was also the use of chalk to write on the sidewalk or play dough to make shapes with and be creative. Everything!! It would just be so nice and fulfilling to have a day to share this joy with your family.
Today, 65% of households play video games (http://www.onlineeducation.net/videogame), all of which I have absolutely nothing against. I love playing video games. I also remember when I was a kid, my dad would come home and bring the latest Mario Bros or Donkey Kong games. My sister and I would jump up and play all the worlds until we beat them. It was so much fun. But our activities didn’t revolve around this. Playing video games was an occasional thing. We would much rather go outside and see the cute little boys or play with our friends, run around the block, pull down each others pants, or wait outside for the ice cream truck. This brings me back to my original purpose of this post. Two days ago, Christmas day, I walked outside and there was absolutely no one outside, just people going to work. All the kids were no where to be found. It might have been only where I walked by, but it made me think: “Man, we used to have so much more fun when we were kids.” I figured every child was inside playing a video game they had just received as a Christmas present.
Going outside to play is not something that you can always do. As you get older things change, peoples schedules get hectic, there are other priorities and responsibilities, and so therefore, I believe that those who are parents should encourage their children to go outside, smell the fresh air, fall flat on their faces if they have to, gets scars, learn tricks, and just enjoy while they can. Otherwise, they will never get to experience this and that would just be devastating in my opinion. I know I will try to do this if I have kids one day.
– Alexa (Intellect Chick)
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