Take advantage of the Digital innovation and move with times!
Parenting has always been comparable to a tightrope walk, a juggling act if you will. So while on the one hand there will be the usual act of juggling colourful balls in the air (read homework, chores, tamper tantrums), there are other times when the normal juggle turns into a sort of joggling (read peer pressure, fashion fads, competitiveness). For the uninitiated, joggling is a competitive sport that combines juggling with jogging.
Now add to this melee the new challenges thrown up by the digital age and it doesn’t take much to imagine the hodgepodge that is left open for the unwitting parent to deal with.
A fundamental shift
Lets examine some of the paradigm shifts that have taken place in the times and by that effect the way we parent
1. Discipline
A whack or a dressing down! Or sometimes both by the Traditional Parent. Whereas the Cyber New Age Parent understand the child’s psychology, delve into the issue and seek help, online and offline.
2. What the traditional parent did to foster creativity
Sewing, singing, cooking or the arts. What the parents taught, the child learnt.
What’s happening now ?
Say hello to the new teacher- The one in the videogame, on the video or on the app
3. Teaching styles of the traditional parenting
Usually rote learning, taught by either parent, with the parent being regarded as the ultimate fount of knowledge.
What’s happening now ?
Explore the topic, research it a bit more, experience it first-hand if that’s possible and check out what others around the world are doing – Everything online of course!
4. Information and learning style of the traditional Parent and Child
Parents, parents and their parents taught and learnt by the book. Nothing more, nothing less.
The Cyber New Age Parent & Child turns to-
No prizes for guessing- It’s the World Wide Web. The www is a genie with all the answers
5. Life skills- Taught by the traditional
Personal | Leadership | Social Skills | Stress Management
Life skills taught by technology now-
Life skills or math, money management or social skills – The internet takes care of it all.
6. Recreation & entertainment in traditional households
Good old picnics with aunts and uncles in town, the occasional movie coupled with an eat out.
What’s happening now ?
A ride on the escalator in the mall; Fast food delivered in under 30 minutes; Playing a videogame together and chatting up on a social platform.
7. Shopping in the yesteryear
Usually meant mom dad brother sister grandpa and grandma would usually go store to store together and give a thumbs up together or a thumbs down together.
How the Cyber Family shops now-
Mom likes shopping on one site and dad likes another. The siblings- they have their fav shopping sites too!
And that’s still probably just the tip of the iceberg, we’ve not even begun to mention the way technology has changed the way we eat (online food delivery portals), travel (apps to order a cab from the doorstep), socialise (no prizes for guessing- Facebook, Twitter and so forth), even seek medical advice (gazillion medicine based forums and groups). Let’s just say technology has permeated everything, even the very air we breathe.
Nearly 95 per cent of 8 to 11 year olds had accessed the internet ‘in the last four weeks’, with almost all having accessed the internet at some point in their lives.
While the majority in this age group accesses the internet at home, increasing numbers are using technology at school and at a friends’ house, away from direct parental supervision.
Children in the age group of 3- 11 use multiple internet-enabled devices such as computers, laptops and handheld mobile devices such as iPads and iPods and game consoles (Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portables, PlayStations)
As a parent, there are two ways of looking at it, one – shunning the use of gadgets and technology and pretending that the kids are best left isolated from them or two- embracing it and using it to your advantage so that you harness the powers of technology positively and go on to make it a healthy and positive part of your family life.
The answer seems pretty obvious, isn’t it?
Synopsis
It may seem like technology and gadgetry is a double edged-sword that no one can actually live with or without! Our two pence — allow for technology to build a bridge and connect you with all that is positive, good and constructive for you and your kids. And if you’re still worried about the downside, well, there’s a lot of help on the internet on that too. In fact, we delve a little deeper in this subject in our forthcoming features, catch up with us on our social feeds or drop in a line here
Here’s to more power to you our dear Cyber Parent! Happy Parenting!
