Sunday, April 27, 2014

W is for Where's my Water?: My Journey Through Parenthood

W is for Where's my water?

Do you know what this game is?  I learned about it last year from Michael.  He discovered it on a friend's parent's phone I guess and immediately began pestering me about downloading it.  He was 5.  Cell phones weren't mainstream when I was 5 so this was just ... weird.

Eventually I did download it because, why not?  It's free.  And there may be some times when I want him occupied and have nothing else to offer.  However, the fact that I had this amazing game ready to play in an instant was a lot for Michael to handle.  He asked about it daily.  Every time we went in the car, Can I play on your phone?  The answer was usually a big fat N. O.  While I let him play every once in a while, I eventually deleted the game due to his incessant begging.  I still have some reading apps that him and Marie can play with together IF (and that's a big IF) I let them "play" on my phone.

I have gone back and forth on whether or not technology is a bad thing or a good thing.  What I have found (and this is very generic) is that the older a person is, the worse today's technology is.  In contrast, the younger ones can't imagine life otherwise.  I have finally come to a my own conclusion and I'm very happy about it.

Technology is awesome when controlled.  God created it.  He created the ideas and the minds who thought of them.  He knew about technology before any of us did.  He also knows how much farther it can and will go.  I can really rest in this.  If he designed technology then wouldn't that mean it's a positive thing?  Enter humanity.  We can take anything awesome and make it not so great.  Evan bad.  So yes, technology has it's downfalls.

The husband who seems to spend the entire day playing computer games. 

Little kids who know the ins and outs of Spongebob or Hannah Montanna but don't know what a real frog looks like. 

Moms who spend more time texting and instagramming than playing hide and seek with the small ones. 

The teenager who, if left without a computer or a phone, would go into massive depression. 

I have even heard some stories of people who die while playing interactive computer games because they forgot to eat.  So weird.

All the techy gizmos we have nowadays can be highly addicting.  I have a hard time being far from my iphone for too long.  My kids constantly want to watch movies or play games on the wii.  However Mr. Sexy and I rarely say yes.  Eventually we may come up with a rule such as 30 minutes of gaming or tv watching per day.  For now, "no," works on my kids.  We have so much to do all the time.

Puzzles, games, painting, coloring, reading, toys galore, each other, the great outdoors and everything THAT entails.

Interestingly, over time Michael has asked less and less to play the wii and to watch movies.

Is technology to be feared or celebrated?  Or both? 

This is the A-Z blogging challenge so go ahead and read the introduction and see a list of all my A-Z posts.

6 comments:

  1. I say celebrate for exactly what you have pointed out: look at the incredible minds our Creator gave us! Wow - He really knew what he was doing when he made us. But like anything else: balance. There may be days here where the TV is on too long (spread across 3 different aged kids though because they don't all watch the same things), or the Wii, or the eldest on his iPod: then the next 2 days we will be outside on nature walks and running around. As long as it all balances out in the end, I don't sweat it.
    What I will NOT do is go into debt to provide them with all the latest gadgets. That is not an essential: it is a luxury - I don't care how many game systems your friends have: you will earn it. It is a privilege to have. And as soon as you forget that: it's mine. :)

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    1. Well said. I have no idea what our future will look like with gadgets and gizmos. RIght now it's easily controlled but with age they will want more which will be okay....balanced, as you said.

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  2. I say both! I use technology. My family uses technology. Let's face it, it is a bog part of today's society. Sometimes, my kids watch a LOT of TV. Sometimes, they play too many video games. With that being said, my kids still play outside. My kids still experience life, nature and learning without tech. I think you just have to maintain a balance.

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    1. Yes, balance is key! Especially on my sick days. Thank you Lord for movies and video games and sugary snacks so I can sleep all day with little interruption! lol

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  3. I allow my small people 30 minutes of computer or wii time each day, plus about an hour of television in the evenings when we are home. Most evenings we aren't home until later so they have just enough time to eat, shower, and go to bed. My oldest just got a phone for his 13th birthday last year, and it's not a smart phone. We don't buy them the latest gadgets and gizmos; I know they think they're the only ones who don't have some handheld game device, or ipad, or whatever. I would rather they spend their free time reading, playing outside, or actually interacting with other people face to face.

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    1. I like how that works. Michael apparently has his own ipod or something at his dad's house. It might be a hand me down or it might be new. I have no idea.

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