Parenting in the Digital Age

Oh, dear child,

I can only imagine what you will be capable of and what new technology will be available to you in the coming years.

But as you become hyper-linked to a world of instant messages and texts (and who knows what else is on the horizon), I hope you will also come to respect the simple things in life that I knew and grew up with.

May you look back fondly on your youth filled with summers at the local Y and the outdoor play of running through water sprinklers at your favorite playgrounds, just as I did when I was a child.

Though you will never know arcane things like fax machines, word processors or pagers that I was once accustomed to, I hope we will have some mutual understanding for the things that are designed to make our lives easier.

Mostly, I hope you will not look at me with disdain when I tell you your iPod or portable device is not your only mode of entertainment and that having a family meal without interruptions from texts is mandatory.

While I promise to try to keep up-to-speed with the latest advances and not be a “lame” or “out of it” parent as much as I can, I hope you will also be able to slow down enough to enjoy life without fancy gadgets, at least for a bit.

I will try myself not to get sucked into incessant texting or Internet surfing and to be a good role model for you, but to also be there alongside you when you need to research the web for a project or need help crafting and proofing an email.

All this to say, you will be far smarter and savvier than I, when it comes to the newest apps or innovations. But I would never admit that.

I will just subtly nod and start saying things like “I remember when…” while secretly being in awe of your aptitude.