Welcome to Gaia! ::

I stumbled across a news story today where a mother unplugged her teens from any and all technology, for six months. No television, no cellphones, no internet, no mp3's. For six months the teens could: listen to the radio together, play board games, play outside, do their homework and use a land phone to communicate with the outside world. They were allowed to use technology from outside their home, and one teen moved in with her father for six weeks with laptop in hand.

I for one became rather frustrated with this story. It seems that people like this are, in my honest opinion, too dumb to understand the usefulness of technology, or afraid of it.

Instead of setting rules such as: You need to do your homework and play outside before you can go online or watch tv. She completely removed technology all together. She even went so far as stating that instead of telling her daughter she has spent enough time online, she will just take the computer away instead. I call that borderline bullshit as instead of talking to your 14 year old, you know instead of communicating like a normal person, you just strip their things away as a sign of power, and lack of parenting skills.

Story can be found here

Discuss:
- Teens + Technology
- What taking away technology for 6 months could prove
- Stories of how cool/uncool your parents are with the internet

For me, my mother spends all her time online and texts me on my cellphone. I think its cute. ^ - ^ Growing up in that household was very strict and my mother kinda kept technology away from us, but she's gotten much more lenient... after I left. Figures...

That story reminds me of some parents that come into my work complaining that because of the internet/technology in general their child did [insert bad thing here]. Technology has become a crux on which parents can try and blame their faults with their children because it's too embarrassing to admit that maybe one has screwed up or needs help of some kind.

In this story in particular, it was a shame that the mother refused to communicate with her kids. I'm going to bring this article into PSYC220 tomorrow and let the class analyse it with me. Thanks for the heads up.

I also find it interesting that technology has come to mean things like computers and mobile phones. It's so different than the way I have to use it in the Anthropology courses I've taken.

Well, to be fair, it's an Abnormal Psychology class so I'll only bring it up if we have a few minutes at the end since I know this will be off-topic to the lesson tomorrow. If we do get a chance to discuss it, I'll do my best to remember to let you know some general comments.

@ Jude: ^ u ^ Tyyy <333

@ D: omg I knoooooooow. Homeschooling is so bad. My mother home schools my other 3 siblings, 2 are going into college. I went to public schooling but even then they pulled me out when I was in high school. They didn't let me have a job and because of this, I am unprepared for life. I have no experience in the working field, and I'm so tired of school because school has been my entire life. XD School and living in a room. :/ I think having a sheltered life is way worse than having a normal life with the dangers of bullying, etc. Communication is key! Fear is not.

Thank heavens for Technology.... omg....

@ Lilac: That's exactly what I'm going to do. I figured that instead of saying: Go play outside!! I'll put on my walking shoes and have a scheduled exercise time for the family. :3 Like walking to the park or the store or something...