Yesterday during a 2 1/2 hours walk around the fields of what was supposed to be a 1 hr walk and through overly dramatic gasps for air, a friend and I began discussing the influence of social media in today's society. We came to some conclusions about a) our pitiful sense of direction b)our lack of physical endurance and c) the prominent role social media plays in shaping and guiding children's behavior and value system.
A few years ago while working with some children I recieved some dramatic sighs and huge looks of disapproval over my Nokia phone. One first grader even remarked having the same cell phone. Gone, are the days where one used scraps of paper to write messages to friends . Today's kids are busy SMSing and sending cryptic messages that one can only assume are written in English ( @TEOTD, A3, BBT, BG, BOT). When they're not busy smsing, they're preoccupied with their Wiis and PSP (in order to avoid scolding from a six year old NOT to be called a PS3). The mere mention of old school games such as nintendo 64s is as blasphemous as carrying last season's Gucci bag.
Thanks to the internet there are dozen of sites arguing the appropriate age at which children should be given their first cell phone. An article in the NY times reads that about 75 % of teenagers have cell phones. I beg to differ, I believe the age range to be much younger and the rate of cell phone use to be much higher (thanks to today's media/social pressure). Some articles indicate that children as young as 6 and 8 are using cellphones It's no wonder parents feel trapped. It's easy to cave in to social pressure. Not only are parents highly encouraged to purchase the latest phone or gadget but they are also strongly advised to install the latest GPS sytems. Parents are now becoming technologically savy undercover agents ( the words " Inspector Gadget" come to mind). Gone are the lines of honest communication.
When children are not busy texting or playing with their latest toys they're plonked in front of the television aka the Virtual Babysitter. According to studies in the US children between the ages of 8-18 in the US spend an average of three to fours a day watching television .
Last weekend I went over to a friend's house for a lovely bqq. I was pleasantly surprised to find her preschool aged child running about in the garden, demanding tractor rides, playing on swings, drawing on glass windows (with special markers of course), showing off on slides and picking flowers for mum. Stunned I asked my friend if her child had any interest in watching TV. She just smiled and shook her head. Here, was a child who preferred running around in the garden and dancing than being plonked in front of the TV watching reruns of the teletubbies and Ben 10. How terribly refreshing.
Stay tuned for more blogs regarding children and adolescents
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