It's a tool, not a toy

Funny thing about technology...we gripe about how our kids use it too much, yet we are becoming more and more dependent on it ourselves.  Where would we be without computers (specifically the internet), GPS, cell phones, our smart devices, tablets, cable TV, iPods and all the other marvelous gadgets that Microsoft and Apple come up with?  It really wasn't that long ago when those things weren't available yet today we can't live without them.

So is it any wonder that our kids are so drawn to using the same things we do?  How can we tell them not to spend time on the computer when every day they see us with our laptops on our laps, plugged into our iPods and watching the latest episode of our favorite sitcom on Netflix?  (now THAT is multi-tasking!)

Here's a suggestion.  Teach your children that all these devices have a useful purpose.  One of my husband's favorite sayings was, "It's a tool, not a toy."  We didn't mind our children using technology for their education (in fact, we encouraged it!) but we tried to limit the mindless surfing on the internet and game playing...not always successful but we tried  :)

Maybe we should remind ourselves the same thing...it's a tool, not a toy!