This morning I got a phone call from my 14 yr old son. He is a freshman in High School and wanted me to email him his homework that was on his computer. Seems he tried to copied it onto a disc, and rather than double check to see if his homework was indeed on that disc, he just assumed it had copied as its suppose to. What?! You mean computers are suppose to actually always do what you expect them to do? Without doubling checking to ensure and not assume? His assumption will cost him but it will also serve as a lesson in always double checking first.
This phone call got me to thinking – Just how much does this generation depend on technology to function in this day in age? What would happen to them if all the technology in the world all of a sudden just disappeared? Would they survive? Would they know how to survive when they can’t look it up on Google? Would they have any friends when they can’t fire up Yahoo!? Would they know how to spell or even do basic math equations?
Don’t get me wrong, I love today’s technology – it can make things easier (and fun) for me, but I also know how to get things done without depending on it. For me at least it’s a tool to be used to make my work and everyday life simpler – it’s not something that makes me go “Oh my goodness I can’t add 2+2 because my computers calculator doesn’t work” (as was the case recently when I went to Mickey D’s and the cashiers computer couldn’t tell her how much change to give me back).
Has the ease of technology zapped our children’s brains? Has it taken away their ability to function and think for themselves? Has it made things in life “too easy”? Are they too dependent on technology?
-Tammy 🙂
PS: And no, I did not email him his homework, as cruel as that may sound, it is not my responsibility to email him his homework. It is my responsibility though to teach him lessons in life and this is one of them.
