As our technology continues to expand we have been connected in ways never before imagined. We have at our fingertips new people and information. Along with all these new possibilities come things that scare the bejeezers out of parents.
Yes my child can view tons of great stuff for school reports online, but they may also stumble upon (or actively search for) pornography. Yes they can now chat with friends without tying up the family phone, but they can also be approached by child predators in chat rooms. Yes, I can now text my teen when they’re hanging out with friends, but they may also be bullied on that same device. What’s a parent to do?
Many parents have increasingly been using technology to fight technology. But how far is too far? There are a variety of programs that allow parents to monitor and control web access. Cell phone companies are installing software that allows parents to view their childrens’ incoming text messages and calls, control where and when their children can use their phones, and even monitor location via GPS. And now Ford has introduced the SmartKey, which allows parents to control some elements of their teen’s driving (how fast they can go, how loud the music is, seat belt use, etc)
The question is- how far should this all go? Yes we live in a scary world and parents need to be aware of and monitor a child’s use of technology. Most of the technologies listed above seem relatively respectable. Most of them are about monitoring things that parents should probably know. Once upon a time, Mom and Dad knew who was calling because there was only one line in the house. Now with cell phones, it’s not all bad to have some awareness of this. I think it’s clear that Jesus would digg parents living up to their responsibility to parent, not just release children into all the technologies and hope they figure it out on their own.
But what becomes too intrusive and when does monitoring become “helicopter parenting”, a constant and crippling style of parenting where parents control everything and really cease to be true parents. Instead of raising godly children who make wise decisions, they simply try to keep kids safe. God has bigger dreams for us than this.
So what have you seen out there that you think is good use of technology and what’s a bad use?
Tags: helicopter parenting, parenting, technology
Step one: understand that we cannot revert to the past
Step two: get to know new ‘technology’ – even if it’s hard for you
Step three: incorporate the new ‘technology’ in your life
Step four: evaluate what is useful and what is not.
Step five: teach your children this same process with age-appropriate boundaries
On a related note to John’s comment I’d add talking to your child not only about boundaries, but some of the dangers and consequences that are out there in regards to technology.