Food for thought...

Mum2Be28 · March 2014

Today a friend of mine posted on Facebook that she is saying so long to social media and games like Candy Crush Saga on her phone to set a better example for her children. She said she wanted them to learn that real relationships are in real life and not on the Internet and phone.

This got me thinking and a bit conflicted. It made me think about how many minutes I have lost actually talking to my husband, friends and family because I have texted them instead or was playing on my phone in their company. And how many precious moments I have lost with my son because I am too busy video taping those moments instead of living them in real life.

But on the other hand, I think about all those people that were maybe once in my life that I would never ever see or talk to again, but with Facebook I get to stay in touch with them. And how about TheBump? I don't get to see you ladies or talk face to face. But we are creating relationships on here too.

So I want to hear your thoughts. Smartphones/Apps/social media/etc.... Good or bad? Would we have been better off if it had never been created? What would happen if it all went away now having had it? What do you think it will be like when our LOs are teenagers? Will they even know how communicate the way we do? You don't have to answer all those exact questions-- those are just some that come to my mind.

dobrydney · March 2014

It sounds cheesy but I believe the "all things in moderation" saying. I think that if you don't expose your kids to it you're probably doing them a disservice in this day and age because everything is so electronic, but I think some people take it too far. I hate to see people out to dinner that aren't communicating as a couple or family because everyone is messing around with their gadgets, or kids having tantrums because they NEED the newest smartphone. My brother's kids are allowed to play Wii and Xbox for hours upon hours and it makes me sad for the family time they're missing out on. But, I think an hour a day (or whatever) is fine. Just gotta have boundaries. Also...I actually stay in touch more with people via FB and text than I probably would if I had to call or make time for face to face so I think it's fine.

EandIMommy86 · March 2014

I think it is both. It is good for keeping in touch with those you do not get to see frequently, and it is a good way to keep people updated with how you are doing. It is bad when it consumes most of someones day.

I will say that I keep hearing and reading about how kids now a days are texting so much, they cannot write a sentence properly. Instead of saying "You should have lunch with me today",they are actually WRITING IN PAPERS "U should have lunch w/me 2day." That is when it becomes a problem and it is our job as parents to educate them on how to be "professional" so to speak, and how to be casual. I think that eventually, most things will be online. I think people will always be able to hang out and have get together, but I think technology is getting carried away. I mean look at the google glasses. Do we really need that type of thing? For what purpose?

mwhipple77 · March 2014

@taviabrad - I agree with educating kids to use proper grammar and spelling. I see emails like what you state kids are writing coming from adult professionals. What are they teaching their children when they communicate like that as well?

I think social media should be used, but time limits and monitored by parents until children are responsible enough to handle the potential consequences. I look at Facebook and TB daily. I even met my husband in an online dating site. But at some point, children have to learn to unplug and communicate personally and I think as parents, that's our 'duty' to teach them. I use the term 'duty' loosely, just couldn't come up with a better term.

EandIMommy86 · March 2014

mwhipple77 said:

@taviabrad - I agree with educating kids to use proper grammar and spelling. I see emails like what you state kids are writing coming from adult professionals. What are they teaching their children when they communicate like that as well?

I think social media should be used, but time limits and monitored by parents until children are responsible enough to handle the potential consequences. I look at Facebook and TB daily. I even met my husband in an online dating site. But at some point, children have to learn to unplug and communicate personally and I think as parents, that's our 'duty' to teach them. I use the term 'duty' loosely, just couldn't come up with a better term.

I completely agree with this as well. I definitely think it needs to be monitored more closely. Youtube is another big thing that teens are using, and a lot of them have gotten in trouble for it for doing inappropriate things on it or even Instagram videos.

I have seen kids as young as 6 with their own cell phone texting away. I ever overheard some kids saying "Ok, Just send me a text"....uhm you are 8, why do you need your own smartphone and why is anyone texting you?

tisunge602 · March 2014

I agree, all things in moderation. One thing I have thought about doing is deleting certain social media apps from my phone (especially Facebook) so that I have to be on a computer to access it. That way I can still be on it but not as much. I don't know about you, but having it on my iPhone causes me to pull it up like 40 times a day just because I can. And what precious moments am I missing because I'm scrolling through my phone?

As far as kids having access to smartphones, NO. Just no. So unnecessary. Same thing with little kids who have tablets and stuff to play on at restaurants, etc. I want my kids to know how to entertain themselves. Creativity is going out the window with all the screens that kids have access to these days.

amberrrjade · March 2014

I'll never give up my phone. My DH and I tried but we kept going back yo verify things and talk shit. We're weird. However I don't really use my phone with M and she won't be allowed internet access until she's wayyyyyy older.

J&JJ2011 · March 2014

Is it bad that I opened this hoping/thinking that it might be a thread on foods we were craving? And there you go being all serious! Sometimes I think my brain still thinks I'm pregnant $:\$ ">

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