Saskatoon mother believes son died participating in online challenge

There's no app for parenting, sorry. Parents nowadays are either complete helicopters, or completely hands off. Too many times, I've seen kids as young as toddlers looking for attention or needing parenting, and the so-called 'parents' put a cell phone in front of the kid as a way to pass the buck. Very disappointing, to say the least.

I'm not unsympathetic to this situation, but I reiterate my position that no one under the age of 16 should have a cell phone. Look what society has become because of them: Mindless zombies. 'Parents' these days are too quick to shove technology into a situation, and/or let it become the way they 'monitor' their kids. What the hell does this say about us as a society when we let this happen?

-J.

Many psychologists believe that online activity is the opposite of 'mindless zombies', that they are being social in their groups than they could be in person. I am not a parent, so I have no say, but if my kid needed some device in order to be included in the groups they need to be social, I would give it to them. And I would monitor their activity as my parents did mine. The only difference was that I grew up in a small community, so my parents heard about everything I did from someone's parents, if they didn't see it first hand.

With kids being essentially locked up for the last year, they have no other method of social activity other than virtual.

Proving my point. That's called passing the buck. There are MANY ways to engage kids these days that does not involve a phone.

Have you not heard about the resurgence in family game nights? Go to any toy store. People are walking out with more board games and puzzles than I've ever seen. And then there's letting kids play outside with their friends, which leads into my next point:



Really? Not even close! I've seen more kids going tobogganing with friends(and family as well) on local hills (not to mention playing outside in the snow) since the pandemic started than ever before. I've seen more kids out on the bay ice fishing with their families, walking their dogs, etc.

Providing that parents don't take the easy way out and shove a phone in front of their kids, I think it's great to see all these kids outside playing and having fun the same ways that I used to. Hell, I've seen more teenagers out there sledding and enjoying winter more than I have in the last couple of decades!

Unless you are saying that if you were a parent, you'd prevent your kids from going outside and having fun because plopping them in front of a screen is better?

-J.

Did I write that? No.

Watch the video.

Actually, there is an app for Android (don't know about Crapple). It's called Family Link and I can see most of the children's activities on their tablets (which were purchased for online schooling last year).

I have to approve every app they install, can limit how much time is spent on each app, as well as per day, I can lock and unlock their device, I can set bedtime so it shuts down at 8 pm, etc. It's pretty handy for preventing them from staring at a screen 24/7.

As a parent, I don't have an issue with a teenager (junior high age) having a phone (my children are younger than that) so they can call when they miss their bus, need something, etc. If they choose to text their friends or watch videos (within the limits I set), I'm fine with that too.

Having said that, I would never buy kids a fancy new phone that costs hundreds of dollars, because I don't trust them not to lose it. When it's time for a phone, they will get one of my old phones.

Technology is fine for kids in small doses, just like it was okay for me to play on my Atari 2600 after I got my homework done or on the weekend after I'd played some hockey or done some other physical activity.

This I completely agree with, but the problem now is that generations younger than X are now becoming the parents, and they were already too plugged in, and can't seem to raise their kids without.

When I was little, my dad bought a Commodore VIC20 that had some cool games. I was only allowed to play once a week (even though the damn thing lived in my play room), but that was enough for me. I was happier to have all my G.I.JOEs and LEGO out and use my imagination rather than play on the Commodore. Yes, I had a favourite game (Garden Wars), but it never could top what I could do creatively with my imagination

The parents of the younger generations did less of saying NO to technology, and caved into their kids demands and caused children to have a HUGE reliance on technology, rather than using their minds and imaginations (if they still have those). Even when I had my GameBoy, and later Sega Genesis (between age 12 and 16), I still couldn't wait to be outside in the warm months to go explore on my bike, or go sledding in the winter.

Kids now have been programmed to pick up a phone or screen if they get bored, and the parents don't do a damn thing.

-J.

Unfortunately, denying children of tech, in an increasingly tech oriented world will do more harm than good.

In the near future, tech literacy will determine how successful your child is.

What's needed is balance.

In my young days, this was high-end tech.

...and this was my phone.

Had steam power even become a thing in your childhood Ray?

Not sure, but I do remember using a lot a rubber bands.

I found this picture that was taken 2 weeks before I was born... that's the Molson building upper-left. You can guess what we didn't have back then.

Clean shoes.

Running Water or indoor plumbing?