Kids and Cell Phones

One weekend a bit of time ago, I was lounging on my couch and noticed my kids were being so quiet and so chill. I looked up and realized why. All three of them were on some type of electronic device. One was on my iPhone, one was on the iPad, and the other was on the computer. It was not a rainy day, or a cold day. It was an Autumn day, and it was beautiful outside. When I was young, I would have been outside, and I would have already been outside for hours. How and where did I go wrong? What is the obsession and how did I fall for it? 


I could say it was society, and I could blame someone else. It was me. Although it is not my fault 100%. It is the way these days. No, I am not going to talk about how our children are all in a trance with technology, or debate the fact that we have made our lives totally dependent on devices. I have to accept this fact and teach my children that they need to use this form of entertainment with responsibility. Our parents and grandparents told the, "When I was a child..." stories and we are no different. It is that, a story. While I had an awesome childhood and my mother was the best mother I believe anyone could have who taught me and my siblings how to enjoy outside and the fun you can have making forts and roaming the woods, I cannot make or force my children to live my childhood. Heck, I would NEVER allow my kids to roam in the woods unattended. It is not the same. Stranger Danger! I have to make sure they are aware of everything out there. Raise them to be smart and safe. Or at least aware.

There is one thing though that I am scared to death about. We are no longer invisible. We are literally traceable. That means my children are as well. We are no longer allowed to make mistakes without the world and everyone in your life have the chance of knowing. There is not a time that you do not look around and see someone on a cell phone. If you do not see them, they are there. Not a gamble you can take now days. Good Gosh! I cannot imagine having cell phones with cameras on them when I was growing up. Just think of that moment in your life that you did something that was not you, but for some crazy reason your judgement was not stellar. Imagine waking up the next day and seeing someone has tagged you on FB, Instagram, and tweeted the moment. How mortifying? How will this effect you down the road? Jobs? Relationships? Family? Kids?

With everything said above, there is a flip side. Safety. I have given my oldest child a cell phone. She was 9 years old, but I allowed Santa to drop the phone off so I have a means of communicating and knowing where she is. No she does not "go out" or is not allowed to stay home alone yet, but I have a way to get a hold of her. She has a way to get in touch with me. I have explained to her that with a phone comes the rules. I have access to it any time I wish. She is not allowed to send "selfies" and there are rules about what apps and what she can download. Now, I do know that it will get a lot different when she gets older. She has not reached teen status yet, and that is when the fun begins, but until that chapter in the book of raising kids is opened, I will do what I feel is best. 

Cell phones are a split device. We need them because the world is so much scarier than when we were kids, but they (cell phones) also cause so much drama and so little to no privacy. It is so sad that it only gets more advanced from here. How will it be in 10 years? I am scared about the upgrades this year, much less when my babies have babies. Is it worth it? Being all technological and stuff? Sometimes I think no. Sometimes I think I need it, but isn't that the beginning thought of an addict? Got to have it? Can't live without it? Are we addicted to technology? That will be a future post, maybe.