With six laptops in the house and three people, I say these things as a reminder to myself as much as anyone.
1) Parental involvement: Supporting our children by teaching and empowering them to higher levels is our responsibility. The harm is when we take on their responsibilities, as if they were our own. I recently received an email solicitation for Girl Scout cookies. It was scout-themed, which quickly brought back my days with Troop 222 (nice marketing~). I immediately ordered 2x the amount that I ordered last year and was thanked within a few minutes. I hope I still see the girls at the grocery store learning the basics of commerce, though. My life’s work was learned by selling girl scout cookies door-to-door.
2) Impersonal communication: We’ve all heard about sexting, need I say more?
3) Accountability: The ease of mobile communication has quickly become king. A night out with the pals is easier to manage on Facebook or text versus the old fashion home phone, if one even exists. I now smile back on the days when a boy came to the house for a date. My father answered the door and invited the young man into the living room and asked what his intentions were for the evening.
4) Instant Gratification: There is lasting sweetness in waiting at any age.
5) Accessibility: I love the ease of information and connection today, but with this comes both the good and the bad. As parents, there’s much we don’t see, which doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.