The Technology Craze

If we had to guess, we would say that in the past week while out in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary or Apex you have seen at least one child using some sort of technological device. Whether it is a handheld gaming device, a parent’s Smartphone, or a tablet, it seems as though children of younger and younger ages are mastering technology- sometimes faster than their parents.

So what’s the problem? Or IS there a problem? Most parents do not think twice about popping their cell phones into the hands of a screaming toddler in a grocery store Harris Teeter, or allowing their young one bring a tablet with them out to dinner, just so Mom and Dad can enjoy some peace and quiet, and finish a meal in peace. Seems like a great idea! But what if we take a closer look at these families…

Next time you take your child to Bond Park in Cary, Pullen Park in Raleigh, Kelly Road Park in Apex, or Kids Together Park in Cary, take a close look at how many families are interacting, and how many are immersed in one technological device or another. Last time you were at a Wake County Public Library did you see children reading books, or did most spend their time on the computer? How about when you were at the Monkey Joe’s in Raleigh, JumpZone! in Cary, or The Museum of Life and Science in Durham? Were parents interacting with their children or were they on their cell phones?

There are so many benefits to allowing children to explore technology. There are millions of Apps out there that can encourage learning and growth, memorization and hand-eye coordination. However, isn’t it true that there is too much of a good thing? Teenagers “hanging out” now mostly consist of texting, YouTube videos, and Facebook. Social interactions are no longer face-to-face conversations, but instead “retweeting” something you agree with.

We are all guilty of the technology craze- without even realizing it. Next time you are out enjoying bonding time with your family, try putting down the technology and talking to your children… you might just learn something Facebook or technology could never teach you!

The Nanny Boutique is a nanny and babysitting agency that specializes in placing caregivers or babysitters and nannies in the Apex, Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill areas.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 at 5:49 pm and is filed under Raleigh Nanny & Babysitting Blog, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.