No technology! No way!! Ok, maybe just a little.

I don’t have kids so it is easy for me to sit here and say that my husband and I have discussed a strict technology policy for our future family. We both found that we were spending most of our “quality time” together interacting with other people on social media, reading entertainment blogs, and playing silly games and actually spending less and less time with each other. We have now implemented a no technology policy when my husband and I are together. We leave our phones in the car when we go to dinner, we plug our phones in to charge when we together at the house, and we have asked our friends not to contact us during the evening unless urgent. 

I know this is going to sound ironic considering I have worked in communication for years and I am obtaining a graduate degree in Communication but I believe that technology is killing tradition communication. In the work place, more and more professionals are moving to email communication and are no longer answering phone calls. Personally, we would rather send a text message than pick up the phone and have a conversation. We wish our friends happy birthday via Facebook. We’re sending Christmas cards through “Elf Yourself”. We are sharing dinners on Instagram. We are updating our statuses. We are Tweeting about our lives. We are dating through Tinder. Less and less are we sending snail mail, calling people to wish them Happy Birthday, sharing dinner with friends in person, or meeting our next ex at the local bar. 

I have expressed to my husband that when we have kids we will have a strict no technology policy. I do not feel our child needs a tablet, or their own personal computer, nor a cell phone before 16. I personally do not feel children or teenagers are responsible to play with technology. Life as a young person and teenager are difficult enough without involving the stresses of tweeting, texting, updating, liking, following, or whatever else you can do through technology. Too often you are hearing of cyber bullying cases, inappropriate pictures being sent around, and teens being taken advantage of through misconception. What seems innocent is not always what it seems. 

I want my kids to understand a life away from technology. I want my kids to keep their innocence. I want them to understand the value of a formal conversation. I want them to learn about public speaking, networking, how to do research with books, writing in cursive, how to address a letter, and telephone etiquette. Go ahead – call me old school. My kids will receive their own personal cell phone when they are able to get in a car and drive by themselves. My kids will share the family computer in the common area. My kids’ friends will give me their devices when they enter my home and will receive them back when they leave. Not only is this about safety in the home but also about developing an open conversation regarding personal branding, the importance of privacy, and social media responsibility. I believe too many kids are left running around not fully understanding the power of technology and social media. 

Now I am also not a total ninny (thank you Elf!) and I understand that my kids will be exposed to technology. Technology is being pushed in the classroom, their friends are going to have devices, and by the time I have kids who knows what will be the trend. I understand that some technology can be educational. Growing up I was one of the only kids in my class who had a computer. My dad was a computer guy and I had several computer educational games. I worked on my math skills, was publishing classwork at age 12, and had several books written and illustrated with Storybook Weaver. It’s a wonder I didn’t major in graphic design or publications in undergrad. 

Technology can be a very good thing. Kids can learn using technology. They can Google their endless questions to feed their knowledge. They can watch videos of children their own age live have way around the world. They can see pictures of exotic animals. They can even learn to play an instrument by using technology. The can explore different cultures, languages, and living styles. 

I do not want technology in my home to become a free babysitter or a way to occupy my child. While there is good in technology there is also bad, and parents should exercise caution when introducing technology into a child’s life.