Oh the good old days… #ThrowbackThursday

02 Nov 2017 46 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: , , , , , , ,

So, I’ve discussed my addiction to blogging, and my reliance on technology this week.
How about childhood, ours and theirs, our children’s? Where was/is the technology there?

 

There are so many posts, videos, articles about what life was like when we were younger, and how they were the good old days…

And it’s true, you know, in so many ways.

…<<<Then…<<<

We only had one tv so watching something was we did as a family. The time we got a second tv, it was a tiny thing in the spare room, and used as we had numerous visitors come to stay, so, I guess, for their convenience… And finally mine, when I was allowed to have the spare room as my own!

I would spend my spare time reading, or writing, drawing, or helping my mum do various things.

My brother, the more active of the two of us, was already out in the park or on his bike, with his friends. If he wasn’t out at the park, he was playing football or cricket, or basketball, or generally haring around like a loon in our luxuriously large garden… We were lucky with that!

With the advent of technology, we did get a computer, a Commadore 64, and weren’t we proud of it!!

Arguing over who would play the games first, it was so cool!

Slowly, a Sega Megadrive was added to the mix… Sonic the Hedgehog, and Golden Axe! What fun!

I actually remember my love of books was so strong, that when I was about to take my A-levels, there was a book, Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, that came out, and for me, the initiative to get my work done, and these exams sat, was that I would read it then.  A feat in itself as it is one of the longest books written in the English language!

As a family, we would spend evenings together, sometimes playing board games, or cards, and talking.  It was a wonderful way to grow up!

My brother had lots of other commitments, on weekends as he was a sportsman, playing Cricket and Hockey for various teams.  My Pops drove him back and forth for many a year, and he was so active, never sat down to be honest!

But technology played a small part in our childhood. a small replaceable time.  It was monitored and cherished, and we didn’t take the mickey. when we were told to get off the computer or games console, or to switch off the TV, we did, AS SOON AS WE WERE TOLD!

…>>>Fast forward to now…>>>

TV is on at breakfast/lunch/dinner, actually most of the time. There is one in the lounge, bedrooms, kitchens sometimes, and it’s not totally unheard of to have on in the bathroom!

Homework not only involves pen and paper, but computers and iPads too.

Many kids have their own tablets from a young age, some even have phones at 6-7 (I got my first one at 22!).

Games consoles, not one, but 2-3 per household.

And don’t forget most homes have cars.

What does this lead to? Firstly a HUGE electricity bill! Secondly, lazy children, sometimes ungrateful kids, and a reliance on these technological devices we didn’t have.

Where is the activity outside, away from screens nowadays? Kids come home and either reach for a remote, or iPad. There’s no going out, no waking up in the holidays and saying ‘mum, I’m going to the park with my friends!’, or ‘can we go out please?’… Well, not often anyway.

Let’s see, in our household, we have two televisions. One in the living room, and one in our bedroom. Not the kids, I refuse to have one in there! We have two iPads. One is MINE, the other is for the kids and Hubby Dearest. I have a smartphone, He has 2 ( but he’s allowed, one is a work phone!). One pc, a couple of laptops, my notebook, a kids Vtech Innotab, and two old smartphones which have no SIM card, but the kids use sometimes as portable handheld devices.

That’s a lot of technology they have access to, and it’s our responsibility to control it. Yes, I am guilty of allowing the TV too much, sometimes the tv or iPad becomes a free babysitter, but I try not to rely on that. They use the iPad for two homework programmes And then ask if they can play on games or watch things on YouTube. I don’t let them keep ‘their’ phones, I allow access at the weekends, once homework is done.

But they are sneaky, they do chance it, and I sometimes find them on the iPads when they should be eating etc. I get a little defiance from them, but usually they listen. If not ‘banshee mum’ cones out, and EVERYONE listens then, even the neighbours! (I’m not that bad, honest!)

Yet still. I’m lucky. My kids do love the outdoors, and weather permitting, Lil Man will request to go in the garden after school, they do other activities, after school, football, karate, Dhol and Bhangra lessons, and Lil Princess starts a Drums Alive workshop soon too. She will also often be found praying creatively with playdough, making things with her craft box contents, the contents of which end up everywhere!

They love reading. I have a whole book case in their room, full of books. Like Princess has the kindle app, so she can use her phone to read too, if she so wishes.

But technology still looms. Writing this I realise we’re not as bad as some, they are more active than a lot of kids, but still… The last thing I want is that they develop such a strong reliance, that they forget their social skills. I’ll never forget a wedding we went to, where my two were too young to do anything other than be near us. When we were younger, we’d be running around like crazy children exploring venues, nicking extra fizzy drinks and crisps, and generally getting up to mischief, a whole bunch of us. At this wedding, however, I turned a corner, and, I’m not kidding you, there was a row of around ten children, aged from 6-14, sat along the back wall, all with handheld consoles! There was no playing with each other, no conversation, just extremely agile thumbs, tapping away…

See. That’s just it. You either allow them everything, and they know how to use all the latest stuff, but are sat indoors all the time, or you try to ban it, and have great kids who can be creative, with wonderful social skills, but they struggle at school because they don’t have access to what the other have access too.

At least my kids are sociable, they do chat, but they aren’t at a disadvantage, they know how to use the technology so they won’t struggle either. Not quite well rounded, but happily oval shaped, I think. I still feel they are already too reliant on technology, but that’s my fault. We do try to ensure they do other things, what more can I do?

How much is technology a part of your children’s lives? 

How much is too much?

I’d love to hear your opinions on this one!

 

46 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Tikeetha T
    Nov 06, 2017 @ 13:56:32

    It plays a huge part in my son’s life. When he’s home he watches a program on his Ipad and then on his television. He then spends hours drawing cartoon characters.I’m trying to cultivate his craft into graphic design and coding. During the week he gets about 3 hours of television time a day and on the weekend about 5 hours.

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  2. Jennie
    Nov 04, 2017 @ 03:16:45

    You are finding the right balance, Ritu. I resist technology, too, because we both know how much more important the real world is for children. Still, technology is here to stay. It is part of education and life. You are a role model for parents for how you’re handling this! Our state guidelines say that I have to provide technology in my classroom. I use the iPad to enhance learning. Recently we watched a child play the violin. I tell the children our computer is “snow activated”, and doesn’t work till the the snow falls. Ha!

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  3. John Holton
    Nov 03, 2017 @ 22:15:26

    We didn’t even have calculators until I was out of high school. We used slide rules for the heavy-duty calculations and learned how to estimate for the decimal quantities, otherwise it was scrap paper and pencil. What’s available now is stuff we just dreamed of.

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  4. hotmessmemoir
    Nov 03, 2017 @ 01:42:06

    We are horrible! We have 2 60″ tvs, 1 50″ tv. 3 IPhones, 1 old cell phone that can be used on wifi, 2 IPads, 2 Chromebooks, 1 Samsung smaller tablet, an XBox1, and lastly, an Amazon Fire Tablet. If it wasn’t for soccer, we would be using the electronics much more than we unfortunately already do. My husband’s face is in his Ipad ALL THE TIME and I absolutely hate it. It’s like I’m married to an Ipad. I wish for the old days when we were all connected but at the same time, I do love my tech.

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  5. Erika Kind
    Nov 02, 2017 @ 20:17:29

    The technology automatically seems to keep everyone more inside the house. I remember well that I was outside whenever possible – winter, summer, it did not matter. When the kids were little there were clear rules when and how much they were allowed to watch tv. But when the mobile phones showed up, then the smartphones, and later everyone had a laptop (when they were much older of course) over time there was no control about it anymore. Most of all because they have used the devices for school too!

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  6. Diana Frajman
    Nov 02, 2017 @ 17:46:53

    We have 5 TV’s in our house and only 2 people living here and I don’t watch TV! But I would pitch a fit if I lost my Ereader. 😉

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  7. OIKOS™-Redaktion
    Nov 02, 2017 @ 15:14:04

    Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. syl65
    Nov 02, 2017 @ 15:11:22

    I remember growing up we had one or two TVs, zero technology ( homework was all head scratching, pencil and paper). We didn’t quite eat together as a family, maybe two of us together but it was more free flowing. I actually went outside and played with my friends and we’d hang out on the front steps poking fun at each other and everything, laughing up a storm. Good memories Sister!! ❤️

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  9. Em Linthorpe
    Nov 02, 2017 @ 13:38:45

    Hi! What I find interesting, and you probably will too, is how much schooling is reliant on technology now. My daughter’s timetable, homework planner and messages from teachers etc is all through an app – students would be at a distinct disadvantage if they didn’t have their own phone, or interact access at home full stop. Some kids don’t.
    I LOVE technology – it truly amazes me but it means that the childhood my kids are having is so different to my own. I don’t think that changes from generation to generation though – it was always my job to change the clock on the VCR when the clocks went back 😉😂

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    • Ritu
      Nov 02, 2017 @ 17:52:24

      I totally get you! My son says they are sometimes asked to use thief phones for things in class… what if a child doesn’t have one?
      As always, plusses and minuses!

      Like

      Reply

  10. vanbytheriver
    Nov 02, 2017 @ 12:51:19

    So hard to find balance. The internet, the iphone, etc. have brought the entire world into our life, but has isolated us from each other. I was lucky, I held out to be the last in our neighborhood to get Sega (90’s), and my kids never had cell phones until they left home. We still got together at the dinner table, we still talked to each other, played outside, traveled without distractions. I don’t know what kind of mom I’d be today…it’s hard to avoid that stuff. Love your “oval” children, Ritu…well said.

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  11. IreneDesign2011
    Nov 02, 2017 @ 08:37:44

    You are right Ritu, it is important to be conscious about, how much we allow to let the technology control our lives.
    I haven’t had TV for many years and I don’t miss it at all.
    I think, that my daughter was 10-11 years old, when she was allowed to get a PC into the house as a gift. Before that I did protest.
    I wished to teach my kids about social life with other kids too.
    Today it can be more difficult to do the same, because many other kids are allowed to use all their spare time by electronic devices of different kind.
    I find it sad for the kids, if they don’t learn about the joy being outside and in the nature too. This will also help them to stay more healthy in their lives. It is difficult to fx. drive a bike and eating chips and drinking cola in same time 😀

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  12. Carol
    Mar 20, 2015 @ 13:05:10

    I think your post would resonate with both of my moms (you must be close in age!). I will tell you that my person that’s away at college is GLUED to her phone when she’s home. And if she’s not on her phone, then she’s on her laptop or iPad. I have to sprawl out across the keyboard, or pace across her lap, just to get a pet or two!!

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  13. edwinasepisodes
    Mar 20, 2015 @ 11:29:28

    My daughter has a couple of consoles, her TV in the room (She had only had this the past 3 years) and an iphone (currently confiscated)! We have had a number of issues with Social media so there is no internet access at all for my daughter unless it is downstairs on the pc for homework (we monitor it). She reads books before she goes to sleep and has 2 bookcases ra,,ed full of books that she loves ( I have always encouraged her to read, being an avid reader myself). My daughter has Asperger’s so occasionally gets a little awkward socially but she tries hard. She does however love to play out regardless of the weather (I have to go and drag her in sometimes)!

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  14. The Twentysomething Social Recluse
    Mar 20, 2015 @ 08:05:30

    Love this post x

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. quarksire
    Mar 20, 2015 @ 07:49:14

    kewl read, as for me i have put LIVE television on the back burner for several years now. sometimes i really miss it, but inspires me to find other things to do. some folks i see an houses i go to , seems, as though, they need the distraction of the tv 24/7 in the back ground of their lives….if i had tv i would peolly not be on the internet @ 2 am reading info 🙂 lol… ,so thoughts to ponder yep when is too much too much , one has to wunder ..take care peace-out…. Q 😎

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