The Technology Trap – The Logic of Un-Automating Your Kids

Guest post by Renee Bedford


Note from Angela: Renee contacted me a while back and, noting our similar desire to have our kids out doing instead of plugged in to some form of electronics, she offered to write a guest post on the subject.  Enjoy, and think about maybe lessening the amount of time your family is “plugged in” this week.

It’s disheartening to see children sitting around, plugged into iPods, lost in their video games,
and texting on their phones. They might be high scorers on their Wii, but sneer at the mere
suggestion of actually doing any of these sports. They’ll know the ins and outs of social
networking, but have no idea how to even properly address an envelope. A sad observation,
but it seems that if we took away these distracting gadgets, our children would have difficulty
in manually executing these automated functions. But it’s never too late! Before your
kids use an electronic gadget as a crutch, you can still do something to have them learn to
actually accomplish tasks. Read on for some activities you can teach your children to do while
unplugged:

1. Reading Real Books

While many lament the prediction of the printed word dying out in a few years, it is evident that many are thankful for the convenience of carrying an entire library in a single, lightweight, electronic reader. There are, however, studies that suggest that reading from an actual book is better for one’s cognitive activities that an e-reader. Readers are more focused, are able to finish a story faster, and have a more organized sense of the whole when reading physical books. E-readers are likely to be distracted by other activities; they’ll switch to a browser to check their email, watch that video of a cute cat for a few minutes, and even follow hyperlinks on the text they were reading before they can even finish the book. With people spending an average of 23 minutes being distracted from what they were originally doing while working on computers, e-reading makes for a longer reading time. The functionality of some e-books that allow the reader to skip to exciting parts of texts also makes for a less rich reading experience.

• Playing A Sport (Not on Your Wii)

Actually playing a sport not only offers incredible health benefits, it also improves your child’s confidence, coordination, and social skills. Having a sense of accomplishment while shooting that winning basket, or even knowing how to shoot a basket, does wonders for a child’s confidence, self-esteem, and overall coordination. Playing in a team or even in an individual sport gives your child more face-to-face interaction and enhances his social skills. Even just encouraging your child to play outdoors allows for room for his imagination to grow. When left alone without an electronic gadget in sight, the child appreciates the great outdoors even more, allowing him to unleash his imagination and leading him to amazing adventures outdoors.

• Doing Away With Emails and Text

Encourage face-to-face interactions with relatives or friends instead of spending infinite amounts of time texting. While the convenience of texting cannot be contested, who’s to say that relationships should be convenient? Interacting with their friends or relatives in person allows the child to form deeper connections. Teach your child how to write actual letters and how to mail them. This teaches your child to appreciate the tactile experience of communicating and even leads to expressiveness or an appreciation (and talent!) for writing.

• Playing an Instrument Instead of Plugging Into iPods

Listening to music is beneficial, don’t misunderstand me. In fact, there are many studies showing that exposing children to different types of music at an early age (especially classical music) allows their brains to develop faster. However, learning to play an instrument instead of just pressing play on their iPods poses greater cognitive development for children.

• Cooking A Meal vs. Microwaving

Jamie Oliver, a television cook, is popular for strongly advocating home-cooked meals. He even has an entire movement and TV show dedicated to the cause of getting people to eat healthier. Aside from the obvious health benefits of cooking your own food, doing so makes you more cognizant of what you are eating. The experience of preparing the food, measuring ingredients, and following recipes also engages the mind more than watching the microwave carousel ever will.

Technology is well and good; in fact, I do believe that many adults would be crippled if it were
taken away altogether. However, letting children grow up with as minimal dependence on
electronics as possible not only allows them to develop skills and passions, it also allows them
to know themselves better and experience life more without the distractions of beeping,
vibrating, and ringing.

Renee Bedford is a mom and wife who believes in teaching her children to be self-reliant and prepared. She knows that not only will these skills keep them safer, but they will also make them smarter!

Keep preparing!
Angela