Is Technology Changing Relationships?

If you are like me, you will realize that the more time you spend watching television or using the computer, the less time you will have to spend with family and friends. When kids and teens are in the middle of using the computer and their parents come into the room and interrupt them with questions and demands, often times they will become annoyed or irritated. It is likely that whatever show they are watching, whatever game they are playing, and whatever person they are chatting with has captured their attention more than the person in the room who is trying to talk to them. Personally, I have seen my nephews (ages 6-11) play games on computers or on iPads and when their parents tell them to do something, it is almost as if they heard nothing. The message did not even register in their minds because they are so focused and sucked into the game that they are busy playing. Their parents always have to either raise their voice or repeat themselves before the kids listen. When that does not work out, the parents have to resort to taking away the console or shutting it down. I do not think that parents should have to go through such a tedious process in order to get their kids' attentions. If they do, then I think there has to be changes in technology use. Limiting technology would allow the kids and their parents to have more interaction time to bond and develop their relationship. The parents also have to play their part by reserving some time away from work for their kids. I believe that it would be a mistake to hand over more technology time to kids due to the lack of attention or lack of time you have to spend with the kids.

Instead of allowing kids to have more and more time with technology to substitute family interaction time, there are hundreds of things you can do together. There's all the outdoor activities that all members of the family can enjoy, such as biking, swimming, or playing at the park. If it is not a good day to go outside, there are many things that the family can do indoors. There's arts and crafts, board games, and creative play time where you can work together to make forts or play a made up game. All of these can help your kids either stay active and in shape or develop and grow imaginatively. Now that is full of positivity! I even stumbled across an article from WebMD, which offers a few activities to do as a family that is both fun and healthy, such as cooking together. Aside from the activities I named and the activities that can be found from that link, there are many activities that require little time and work to do. Simply reading a book together can make a difference!

The take away points for this blog post includes:

• More time spent together builds a stronger bond and relationship
• Do not use technology to replace social interactions
• There are many activities that are fun and healthy to do as a family
• It is always possible to make time for bonding (both the parents and kids)