Why I Care

I grew up during the emergence of digital devices. It was amazing. From gaming platforms to early mobile devices like the Nitendo Game Boy, from TVs getting smaller and going everywhere, from big stationary computers to laptops. 

During this whole time, the world of mobile phones got better every year and internet tracked along. Social networks entered the picture. And today, it has all converged into a world very different from what childhood and early adulthood was like for me.

While connected and non-connected devices were a big part of my growing up, they were not the center of the universe. Today, it feels that way and kids growing up don’t have a reference point to a life without being connected or without endless options for digital entertainment. 

A connected world evolved around us, but today’s younger generations and those yet to be born, will enter into it.

We also, for the most part, could see the danger in front of us and our parents knew what to be aware of. I am not sure that is the case today. While many of the same dangers exist, digital lifestyles enter a new factor into the equation. Some of these new dangers are obvious and some much more subtle.

I now have 3 kids and get concerned everyday seeing how devices impact their lives (and ours). Of course, some of it is good (and hopefully most of it the way we manage it, or think we do). 

For example, my daughter Stella, who is 10, and my son Sam, who is 8, love to play educational games, learn how to code, explore musical tastes, and stay connected with friends across the world. My youngest, Will, who is 5, is more interested in the entertainment side at his age, but is playing games that I would generally consider healthy for learning.

However with all this good, there is something under the surface that scares me. One part is staying on top of all they have access to, another part is understanding where the line is on healthy screen time and how today’s content is impacting their growing brains, and a final part is understanding what impact all of this will have on their futures (and ours). I also know, today’s parents are dealing with much of this for the first time. We are constantly adjusting what we need to do and it not easy. There are definitely wins and losses in this battle.

When I think about my kids and the world they are growing up in I want to make sure I give them every tool I can to make good decision and be good people. I want to make sure I have those tools too. I want to know the support systems in my community (and those everywhere) are also considering this and I want to make sure a digital lifestyle is just as amazing for my kids growing up as it was for me.

This is my story about why I care and am asking you to support the Digital Futures Initiative.