We lost our Internet for a few days recently and i swear Agent M acted like the world had just ended. He was almost panicking that he couldn't get on the Xbox or that we couldn't watch a film on Netflix that it made me wonder if technology was almost ruining him. Wanting to play a game is one thing but when i gave him other suggestions he just brushed them off, saying again that he wanted to play with is tablet or his Xbox, this was almost like an addiction. It got me thinking.


When i was younger technology was a treat. We had a Nintendo that was handed down from my big cousins and Santa brought me a Sega Mega drive one year for Christmas but gaming wasn't as big as it is now. At least it wasn't allowed to be in our house. No way we would have been allowed to sit on a console for hours on end and no way we would have wanted to. If the weather was tolerable then we would be out playing. Who needed Mario when we had 'Curby' and trees to climb, places to explore and perfume to make (flower petals and water were big in my day). Playing games was what you did when you were stuck in on a rainy day for a bit. I didn't get my first mobile phone till i started secondary school and its sole purpose was so that i could get in contact with my parents if something happened on the way to or from school.


Technology now is all about fast Internet speeds and playing the "IT" games before your mates. Its also almost expected that your kids have some form of technology. I've seen kids walking out of the junior side of the school building who pull high end mobile phones out of their pockets. Junior is ages 7 and below. Its weird seeing a 6 year old with a better phone that you. I know of people who have bought their toddlers their very own iPads and i know kids that can work a tablet or smartphone better than some adults.
Everyone is plugged in these days and with the rate that the technology industry is growing i wouldn't be surprised if they bring out the iWomb soon. Connect with foetus in utero and they can snap chat you their latest new development. Now that would be interesting!

I get that technology is a great thing for development and i know that there are apps and games that can help teach your little ones valuable skills such as counting or colours but at what point does technology take over as a parent? Its really sad when i go out for lunch with Agent M and i see these parents sitting at tables with their kids and everyone of them have some form of technology in front of them. You're missing out on possible bonding time with the kids. I get that sometimes you need to reply to the work emails and i too have had to ask Agent M to wait a second while i reply to a client but i also make a point of keeping my phone out of my hand when we are eating together and i switch off the laptop when he's around so that we can talk and share in each others company.

His reaction to not going on his Xbox made me feel sad. He has a limit of 1 hour per day already and ALWAYS after homework but i think that perhaps when the warmer weather comes in that we should get out more in the fresh air and forget all about technology (with the exception of a camera to take snaps). I need to show him that there is more to life than fibre broadband and mine craft.

Till then I'm going to need to try and get him of the technology boobie for a bit. Maybe get him started on a new hobby.