Ms Shetler talks about an issue we all struggle with: How do we balance technology with all the other things young people need to grow into adults.
MOM’S CORNER
Nurturing children through technology
kshetler@tmnews.com
August 7, 2012, last update: 8/7 @ 12:56 pm
August 7, 2012, last update: 8/7 @ 12:56 pm
KRYSTAL SHETLER
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A picture of my youngest, less than a year old, leaning up against our couch, aptly skimming his plump little fingers over the screen of my iPad pretty much proves that when it comes to parenting, I don’t always follow the advice of my pediatrician.
I’m sure there are parents out there who follow every piece of expert advice given to them, but I’m not one of them.
My kids watch TV, play video games and eat fast-food.
They also read books, play outside a lot and prefer my home-cooked meals over anything I can buy them from McDonald’s.
It’s called balance. And although I fail and have been known to drop a juggled ball or two, my life is mostly about maintaining a delicate balance in terms of parenting.
But, the balance of technology can be difficult to maintain.
Our children are going to grow up knowing more about technology and computers than we ever thought possible — a point that’s proven when my 1-year-old easily navigates through my iPad to find his “Dora the Explorer” videos.
Because of that, they need to know how to use technology, and use it responsibly.
I can’t shield them from technology without hampering their development in a world that is quickly being governed by the use of computers.
Yet, there’s the side of me that sees how children are already disenfranchised by being plopped down and consumed almost entirely by the use of television, video games and the Internet.
As a parent, I want kids who love to read actual books. I want to see them running through our yard using their imaginations to play. I want them to know how broccoli tastes, even if they hate it.
We don’t own a PlayStation or Xbox. We have a Wii with a few age-appropriate games. My children aren’t allowed cell phones until they reach junior high, and they won’t have a data plan until they are old enough to work and pay for it themselves.
They watch TV and DVDs, but nothing beyond the PG-13 rating, and my youngest goes to a day care that doesn’t have a television.
Call it my own personal balance between being an outright fuddy-duddy and being too lenient.
At one time, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended parents all but ban television viewing for children younger than 2. But last fall, it eased up on that guideline and recommended parents set limits because “screen time” provides no educational benefits for children younger than 2.
Limits are good. Parenting is often successful with limits in place.
And I think the AAP, like me, realized that ignoring technology isn’t possible in this day and age.
There’s no substitute for talking or reading to your child, but nurturing him through the benefits and perils of technology is a must to prepare him for life in the 21st century.
Times-Mail Staff Writer Krystal Shetler lives in Mitchell with her children, ages 12, 9, 6 and 1. She welcomes comments and suggestions at 277-7264 or kshetler@tmnews.com.
