During December, AP Comp students were tasked with writing an editorial about a topic they were passionate about, following the rules established by The New York Times editorial contest. Students had the opportunity to put their editorial up to an in-class competition, where each editorial was read and each person voted for five of the best. This was the most voted editorial across Mr. Stepnoski’s four class periods.
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Look outside. Do you see any kids? You probably don’t. We’re used to seeing kids cruising down the street on their bikes, playing catch with dad in the yard, and yelling crab at the park. Unfortunately, those days are in the past. Those kids you’re looking for are locked away in their rooms wiping Cheeto dust all over their new 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
I will always be grateful that I experienced being an outdoor kid. From waking up to my friends at the door begging to come out to coming home and hearing my sister complain that I smelled like grass; it was perfect. In witnessing kids miss out on these outdoor experiences, I became agitated. However, I can’t blame the kids.
An Axios article, “The Digital Babysitter Generation,” states that parents today rely on technology to “babysit” and entertain their kids more than ever. Technology doesn’t require any emotional investment, therefore parents utilize it. With a screen, a misbehaved child can behave effortlessly. Parenting is the hardest job in the world and technology can make it ten times easier. Well, ten times easier at the moment, but a hundred times harder down the road, as parents realize they created a war with a screen-addicted child. A war they can not win.
Developing children learn crucial behavioral skills within a family environment such as communication skills, self-control, and emotional regulation. Technology creates a barrier that blocks the ability to learn these skills. According to The New York Times, 70 percent of parents assert that screens and technology now distract from family time. A lack of family time causes improper communication skills and behavioral problems. According to a recent survey in an EducationWeek article, a majority of parents say children today don’t treat others with respect, are dishonest, and overall lazy. Nearly 90 percent of those parents acknowledged that they are an influence.
The dishonesty, laziness and incapability to respect others can all be correlated to the lack of children discovering themselves. And, like many wouldn’t expect, a suggestion to handle this issue is boredom. Without realizing, boredom allowed me to discover myself and especially discover the people around me. My boredom cost my parents emotional investments that they barely had at the time, but that’s a part of parenting. Maybe that’s all these tantrum-throwing “sticky iPad” kids need.
Technological advancements are inevitable. As generations go on, the human race continues to increase in productivity and efficiency. Therefore, as a population, we need to learn how to morally adapt to the world of innovation. Even though technology can make parenting easier, parents depend on technology to distract or “babysit” their children, diminishing core memories, critical social skills, and essential bonding.