Libraries Are At Your Children’s Fingertips
While the modern library has become far more than a place to just borrow books, and families still go there to enjoy activities and relax in a lovely public space, when kids need information, they can now easily find it on their smartphone or tablet. Whether they need the full text of a public domain book to find a quote for a book report, need access to government data to make a point in a research paper, or just want to find out more about the world and explore it, they’ve got a vast wealth of data just a few clicks away.
Education Is Handier
One big advantage of phones and tablets is they can be filled with educational games and tools. Kids can point their phone at the night sky and discover constellations, play with virtual chemistry sets, chase Carmen Sandiego around the globe, and more, from their phones. Also useful is the fact that educational materials, like podcasts, are just a click away, letting kids explore science, history, and literature more deeply. It is as if you have your own professor in your pocket.
Tablets are keys to learning.
Communication Has Never Been Easier
Think back to when you were in middle school or high school. Remember having to be near a phone, in case your parents needed to find you? Now, you probably just send your kids a text, call them, or contact them on WeChat, Facebook, or a host of other messaging tools. One of the nice side effects of a phone in every pocket is that you and your kids can always be in touch, instead of having to lurk near a phone or keep track of a suite of phone numbers.
You Know Where They Are
Thanks to GPS, mapping capabilities, and other tools, it’s never been easier for kids to find their way home, or for you to find your children. Even setting aside child-tracking apps, finding a phone, even a phone’s precise coordinates, is a simple task. Some parents even use “geofencing” apps to set limits about where teens can go; if they wander outside those limits with their phone, you get a ping.
Having complicated feelings about technology is normal. Even as it makes our lives easier in some respects, it introduces or aggravates new problems. We’ve all had to deal with the misbehaving family member on Facebook, where before we just ignored them the few times a year we saw them. But technology has upsides, and it’s important to remember and embrace those. Kids reading more books, playing more games, learning more about the word, and being in touch is a good thing. Of course, when it’s time for screens to be put away, the right tools can help you find that balance. Contact us to learn more about Screen Time.
Join the conversation