Connecting and disconnecting
In my previous article, I wrote about having fun even without television. Well, we’ve actually survived pretty well and have not relied so much on television to provide us entertainment and relaxation. Computer gadgets have helped keep us updated on what’s happening in the world and allow us to continue to reach out to our friends from all over. They have also given us easy access to information needed to complete any school requirement.
The use of computer gadgets in our home though has its limitations. For one, we don’t have Wi-Fi available for everyone to log on any time they wish. We have made a stand against this very convenient technological advancement because we do not want to be engrossed in our own worlds in the company of a computer — connecting to the rest of the world while disconnecting from each other at home. We have thrived taking turns using one laptop 45 minutes at a time (that’s the maximum limit on weekdays and one hour on weekends) that is strategically placed at our bedside for easy monitoring.
There are two iPads, which are used interchangeably more for games and music and very much for everyone’s amusement, but we have set aside a tech-time for everyone. I was actually amazed at the iPad’s features when I decided to learn a few games to play with my daughter Hannah. She tutored me in maneuvering through The Amazing Race game and I found myself winning several times to everyone’s surprise. I was just so happy I could bond with Hannah in the way she enjoys her world — the techie way and not the usual kind of bonding only Mommy actually enjoys. Yup, the world has indeed changed.
I used to be everyone’s source of wisdom when it comes to anything hi-tech, but now, my husband and I have been finding ourselves more and more at the mercy of our children to help us figure things out much faster on the Internet, the social networking sites, etc. For example, it is through my elder daughter’s prodding that we were able to be “connected” via Twitter to thousands of people so that we may get our message across in a jiffy. She also made us aware that we could actually link it to our FB and blog account so there would be no need to be switching from one page to another, making sure everybody’s updated. My son Donny allowed us to discover how to shorten URL addresses by logging on to a certain site TinyUrl to shorten the addresses while my youngest son Benjamin introduced us to a variety of sites that have become a great source of self-help for training materials on how to construct different objects from scraps and other natural materials.
Such discoveries and wealth of innovative ideas gathered from the web have led us to try our best to be up-to-date on how to best guide our children through a myriad of information they are able to absorb as fast as a speeding bullet via the Internet so that we do not allow them to be set free in a complex world we ourselves are not completely familiar with. Not arming them with enough armor to protect them from the harms that lurk on the Internet is a very dangerous thing.
One basic premise we have, for example, in social networking is to make sure they are of age when putting up their own Facebook, Twitter or blog sites. Do you know that the age limit for a Facebook user is 13 years old and above? Yet, I find so many under-aged kids wanting to be my friends. When I talked to their parents about this, I found out that the parents themselves put up the sites for their children by lying about their kids’ ages. I rest my case. Well, it’s like putting our children in the lion’s den when we actually allow them to experience certain “perks” reserved only for a limited few because it is a way to safeguard their innocence, privacy, and security.
As parents, we understand that we have to keep up with the changing world. Change is good, but sometimes a source of discomfort especially for us who have managed to survive with very little and yet have thrived anyway. We realize that there is always a need to have a good balance of embracing the dynamic changes and making sure the children are grounded with the good stuff that points them to what matters most in life. We always point out to them that more than ever in the history of the world, people are connected to what’s happening in different parts of the world, but it can easily allow one to get disconnected from those he is closest to if he is not careful. The various methods available for connectivity are the very tools that allow one to escape from the realities of life which ushers one to a world of virtual reality and then finding one’s way back home can become a problem.
My eldest daughter shared that after her encounters with different recovered addicts (who visited their school for their Life Skills program), she learned that all addictions are rooted in a need that is not found in the confines of a healthy family and home life. It is a reminder to us parents to make sure our connection in the home is deep enough to provide a solid ground for our children’s foundations so that they will not want to discover quick fixes for their pains but learn to face life’s realities with the help and support of the people they’re so sure they’re connected with. Hopefully, our children find all that in us, dear parents!
So go ahead and improve your connectivity with the rest of the world, but don’t leave your family behind!
