Happy St. Patick’s Day!
MAR 2015
INSIDE
CALENDAR • EARTH TALK • READ & PLAY LET’S EAT OUT! • DAD’S EYE VIEW • FAMILY MOVIE TIME
like m ths to a light
SPRING & SUMMER 2015
M
oths are dependent on a light source to guide them as they fly. From nature’s perspective, that typically means moonlight. by Ben Halpert When introduced to artificial or another light source, say campfire or porch light, the moths fly towards the light, but get confused. They are confused because the light source is so close that when they try to fly away, they instinctively fly back towards the light. It appears they are swarming the light on purpose, when in actuality, they are misguided. If you show a glowing screen to a child, they are instantly captivated and will immediately want to engage birthday, they just might receive a with it. If the device is a TV, they one made by Fisher-Price? Doesn’t new fun-sized LeapFrog or V-tech want to watch it. If it’s a tablet or every toddler need to bite, nibble, feature-rich tablet. Nowadays smartphone, they want to interact and drool all over our old iPhone these entertainment devices are with it. Oh, and if your child is a while they are being encouraged to play with the companion app? For very interactive, which makes the toddler, you might find finger prints attraction (but not yet “addiction”) on your TV screen after little fingers the toddler set, they likely already even stronger! They come preloaded have attempted to swipe or finger- have a pretend (“learning”) laptop in their toy box - Mommy and Daddy with apps, cameras that record tap it! have a laptop, so why shouldn’t the video and take still shots, and can Society is guiding our children newest addition to the family? By the also communicate with other user’s mindlessly towards technology at way, there are “stuffed” laptops too tablets and phones. an alarming rate, without taking a (for the infants). Soon it is potty training time! step back to examine the potential Children innately watch Some parents equip their little ones impact this could have. For many, everything - like a hawk! They with an iPotty so the family iPad technology flooding starts very are engrossed by everything their doesn’t get accidentally dropped early in life, and is hard to escape as parents and people around them while they are leaning to use a toilet. we become increasingly dependent do, and are (as the saying goes) This seemed like a crazy concept to on technology for even the simplest “little sponges”. They take it ALL me - until I saw a post online with of tasks (like turning on a light or a picture of a child sitting on a adjusting a thermostat). For toilet, being potty-trained, some kids, it starts as early as a holding a smartphone. few months old – when they Really??! receive their first stuffed or As parents, we may plastic toy phone... often not b e t he b est at with little consideration researching all the to the associations they toys our kids want for will make with the birthday or holidays… toy. The toy phone is because maybe the designed specifically list is too long, or we for them, with bright are simply too busy colors and familiar Are we unwittingly grooming our trying to balance work characters. (What? Your children to be addicted and constantly and home life. Research is child didn’t have a Sesame time consuming, confusing Street branded toy phone?) connected to their devices? and cumbersome. And, did They can hug it, cuddle it, in! Just like grownups - they want you know that almost every toy “talk” on it and take it wherever they to play on an iPad or Android tablet sold today has some sort of online go! And then there’s - what to do too – and are often invited to do so component that accompanies it? with the no longer needed iPhone? by their parents. So for their next That said - of all the toys out there, the Perhaps we shove it in a rattle, like
PART 2 OF OUR TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION SERIES
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number one “wished for” gift by kids this past holiday season was a tablet. Not a toy tablet, but a full-featured, grownup iPad or Android tablet. This should not be a surprising… How many times have you been to a restaurant and witnessed children (and/or parents) either playing with or using a smart phone or tablet? In many families, technology is interfering with physical human interaction, which again, comes with huge consequences for our children. As a society, we are sending the message to children that technology is to be incorporated into every aspect of their lives, even while sleeping! I strongly disagree with this practice, for many reasons. Kids these days are allowed to snuggle into bed with a tablet or cell phone – which again, comes with consequences, and also cannot be monitored. (Watch for our September feature on “Kids Sleeping with Cell Phones”) Every time I speak to middle school students during a cyber-ethics assembly I always ask… “How many of you sleep with your devices?” The show of hands shocks teachers and administrators. As a society, we are unwittingly grooming our children to be addicted and constantly connected to their devices! While connected devices provide access to amazing resources and opportunities, they can also expose CONTINUED ON PAGE 3… PAGE 1