I’m sure I’m not alone in questioning whether my kids are missing out on childhood. Do I wish they had the childhood I had? Despite growing up in a developing country, I was fortunate to have a carefree childhood and never went without. Due to advances in technology, kids have more access now to gadgets and information which simply was not available or possible when I was young. Living standards have also improved considerably, so its easy to assume that life is better than ever for our children.
Research undertaken recently by My Voucher Codes says that 32% of parents worry that their children rely on technology too much. Other surveys have also shown that parents are concerned that their children are growing up too quickly due to technology.
Looking around online, the question of whether kids are missing out on childhood is a common one and that many parents wish their children had the same upbringing as them. For me, the reality of the answer to the question comes down to the responsibility of parents in guiding children when it comes to technology and gadgets, an opinion also shared by Working Mother. Yes, things may have seemed less complicated when I was growing up and it was perhaps a time when everyone had more time for each other. We didn’t have any where near the amount of technology available, but despite this I have always embraced new technology as long as there are limits in place.
I wrote some time back about the need to disconnect once in a while, but when it comes to your kids its more important than ever that boundaries are in place. My two girls are still quite young (1 and 6), so its been fairly easy to manage this so far. There are some great tools out there which can help you with this such as the wonderful HomeHalo Parental Internet Control System which we reviewed last year.
To summarise, I’m taking the optimistic view that my kids will have a better childhood than me, particularly when it comes to technology and gadgets. It’s just down to us to make sure that this is balanced.
Do you think kids are missing out on the childhood you had? Please leave a comment as I would love to know what you think.
*Disclosure: this is collaborative post
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While my daughter does enjoy watching YouTube videos, she loves playing in the garden and parks. It does all come down to balance. The opportunities children have today are both exciting and worrying.
I think that as long as you still do the stuff with your kids that you did as a child, having advanced technology can just enrich their experience of life because they will have lots of videos of themselves to look back on. I wish I had that! #KCACOLS
new technologies are great to learn as well. I think it’s all about balance. If you put them with atablet in theri habds non-stop, then obviously, that’s not great. But it would be silly to stop them using it beacuse you are scared #KCACOLS
I wish my son didn’t have to grow up in a world of Facebook. We’ve only just introduced the iPad to him and he’s already addicted so controlling his use of that is difficult. I just have to hide it, if he can’t see it he usually doesn’t think about it! However, on the plane to Australia he can watch as much as he likes if it keeps him quiet! I suppose its a case of everything in moderation and with a close eye on them Thanks for hosting #KCACOLS
I hope not – don’t get me wrong, I love the ipad for times such as flights and that witching hour when you just need silence (and hangovers, maybe) but I really hope I can limit it. Maybe I’m naive. I’m a addict, maybe my kids will be too… #KCACOLS
Cygnet is turning into an i-pad addict. I have to hide it. Unfortunately the i-pad is the only thing that enables me to get dressed and put my make up on ready for work in the mornings. He sits in my bed and watches Thomas the Tank whilst I get myself ready – I guess I only have myself to blame for letting him get hooked. Loads of love Pen x #KCACOLS
I suspect most of us blogger-types are social media addicts, so the laptop/ipad/phone is always close at hand – we can’t then be surprised when our kids want to get involved too!
I think the main “threat” to our childrens’ childhoods is a lack of time spent on outdoor play – I was reading an article about how many school kids from aged 4 upwards, only get half an hour a day outdoors at school. That’s not enough, surely?
#KCACOLS
I think it is important to have everything in moderation. There is a real place for technology in our children’s lives and I think it would be a mistake to remove that out of fear because it is so important for their lives in the future and I also believe it is our job as parents to teach them how to use technology responsibly. We also have a responsibility to make sure our children are also getting the kind of experiences we had – such as lots of outdoor play and real life experiences. They will only miss out if we allow that to happen. #KCACOLS
Interesting. My boys both have autism and I think I’m grateful I’ve got them now with the advances in technology and more importantly in understanding. I think they’ll have a much better life due to that than if they’d been born when I was! #kcacols
I think the main thing is balance. My oldest daughter is 11 and would be on her iPad all day long if she could so I think its so important to set boundaries for her and make sure she has plenty of opportunity to do other things. She’s starting to get to the age that she will want to use social media soon though and that’s the bit that scares me! #KCACOLS
I remember when I saw my son first get to grips with an Iphone, swiping the photos across with his finger. He was about one. It was a bit frightening! Plus he was mainly looking at photos of himself so also developing a bit of narcissism…
I believe everything in moderation. We have to keep up with the times with technology so it’s only natural children learn to use ipads and phone at an earlier age than we did. It doesn’t mean they have a worse off childhood than we did. #KCACOLS
I think you’re right; it’s all about parental responsibility. It’s so important that children have that balance between having access to new technologies but far more opportunity to go outside and live in the ‘real’ world. #KCACOLS
This is a difficult one. For example, I don’t much like the idea of my daughter having access to a tablet service before school age – yet they are widely used in schools and therefore putting this restriction in place could actually mean she is disadvantaged when she does reach the classroom!
I agree balance is key, so we’ll be promoting lots of outdoor play too. X
#KCACOLS
I think it really comes down to balance and as others have said, making sure our children get to be outside and playing with others as much as possible (preferably at least the same amount as they get in front of a screen!). But I’m with you on the positivity: there are so many opportunities for our children now. It’s exciting and scary but I guess we just need to focus on what good technology can do. #KCACOLS
I think that a lot of kids spend a bit too much time on the iPad and not enough time playing but I think as parents it is hard to get a balance. Even more so if you are quite into the technologies, how can you tell the kids no if you are plugged in all the time?! We are not too bad here at the moment as we have taken all iPads away until the kids are in bed, otherwise it just ends up causing arguments! #kcacols
This is such an interesting post and something I think about a lot, what with having three teens in the house but there has to be a balance – we have rules because if you didn’t they would sit on their phones from the moment they wake up till the moment they go to sleep. I do feel that they wont have the same freedom of a childhood as us – climbing trees, sitting for hours with friends on a beach just chatting – they are too interested these days in recording life instead of enjoying life. I’ve a post coming soon about a conversation I had with one of my girls where she was a little bit envious about my adolescence where we enjoyed living and not looking at how others lived. Oh I could go on and on! Thank you for sharing #KCACOLS
I certainty wouldn’t let BB and Little B play outside and go off on their bikes on their own like I did as a child, so in that respect I guess they are missing out… #KCACOLS
I remember when I was a kid, I used to play a lot of outdoor activities with other kids. However, I won’t let my kids to play on their own outside nowadays, sometimes the weather doesn’t help either so they end up being indoors and using gadget or watching TV…. as long as it has limits, it should be fine and on the hindsight, they learn from it. #KCACOLS
I think it’s all about finding a balance. I try not to let Leo watch stuff on my phone/tablet too much but I don’t think watching stuff on youtube every now and then does any harm. I make sure we do lots of outdoor play and read books and play games and stuff as well as have time using technology. This is an interesting topic, I pretty much grew up with technology and I think I’ve turned out ok..although I am a but of a phone addict!xx #kcacols
I have to agree there are a lot of children out there who are missing out on their childhood sadly. Without sounding to judgmental I have to admit I feel my sister’s girls fall into this category. They are allowed to spend hours on end on their tablets and in front of the tv. Where as my girls have very limited time on the tablet and will go off and read or play instead of sitting in front of the tv. Also on the weekend we spend it outdoors adventuring so there is very little time for technology baring the camera or mobile phone for taking pictures. Sadly my girls will never experience the sort childhood I had as life is so different here than in Africa. However that said we try our best to give them the best possible childhood, with lots of different experiences that include both outdoors and nature. And do you know what they actually look forward to the weekend and to going on adventures. So thankfully we must be doing something right.Xx #KCACOLS
I think that we are very lucky living in Jersey as outdoors life is really encouraged here and since moving here the children have more outdoorsy children and they are no longer bothered by gadgets etc. They love being outside on the beach come rain or shine. I think it is all about balance though and technology can also enhance a child’s life 🙂 #KCACOLS
I used to worry about this but now I think that the technology will be our children’s normal and so it’s fine for my baby to grow up using it. Like everyone says it’s down to balance #KCACOLS
I definitely agree our kids are growing up too quick and rely on technology, it doesn’t help that some parents encourage kids to sit up at the table with iPads at dinner time! Whatever happened to a nice family chat over mealtime? #KCAKOLS
My one-year-old is already VERY interested in my smart phone and tablet…so that’s not great. But she also really loves running around outdoors as well, which is what I spent my childhood doing. We try to take her out as much as the weather allows – but we live in Scotland, so outdoor activities aren’t always practical! #KCACOLS