There are so many reports that show that we have to be wary of technology, not only for how it impacts our kids, but also how it impacts us and our own relationships with our kids. That being said though, technology can also be an asset and a friend when it comes to being a good dad.
Here are 5 ways that technology can assist you in being a great dad!
1. Technology Helps You to Educate
Technology not only helps to educate you, gathering resources and ideas from other great dads, but there are also so many resources available to help your kids learn. Whether it be bringing your kids to the National Geographic Kids site to learn about animals in far off countries, or even about the vastness of space through the Discovery Kids website. These are only a few websites out of many, but so much information is available at a keystroke.
2. Expanding Their World-View
I work with college students on a daily basis and it is sad to sometimes see some youth with such limited world-views. With technology being so vast and information being so available, as parents we need to make sure that we are giving kids the ability to see and understand the world in ways that we may not have. Rather than allowing your child to shirk back in uncertainty when meeting someone from a different culture, use technology to educate your kids about other people’s backgrounds. Why does a person from a particular country wear that? Why do they eat that? etc. Technology can remove stereotypes and increase understanding and affection. Want to help your kids do this – what about helping them have an international pen pal?
3. The Power of Video
Video can help you to be able to stay connected to your family no matter where you go. Whether you use applications like Google Hangouts, Skype or other such technology, you will be able to remain in close contact. I know that there have been numerous times when I have had to travel for work, and using this technology allowed me to catch up on everyone’s day, or even to read a story to my kids!
4. Communicating With Your Kids
As mentioned, parents can use technology in a positive way, but we also have to work to make sure that any use of technology is aimed at breaking down barriers with our kids and not creating new barriers. First, we must understand how our kids are communicating with their own friends. Master this and test the waters to talk to them in that way. For example, my oldest daughter uses Instagram, and for me, it was important to gain a better understanding of this and how to use this so that I could build stronger relationship with her, and you can do the same. By doing this you can motivate them, inspire them and show them that they are loved.
5. School Involvement
So many school districts have a ton of technological ways for us as parents to stay connected to our kids’ learning. It is important to be able to stay connected to our kids’ education and be engaged in their learning. Our children do not want to let us down and can be crushed when they feel we are disappointed in them. With the technology parents have available now, we can stay on top of our kids’ school work on a daily basis. So stay in the know about the technology that is available. Connect with your kids’ teachers and let them know what you need to be able to support your kids, too. When you become more involved and invested in your child’s school life, while they may resist at first, in the end your support will sustain them. Once connected, just remember to reinforce and give them the “Great job!” that they need to hear, too!
Chris Lewis writes for both DadofDivas.com and DadSpotlight.com, both websites created to help dads be the best dads that they can be.
Great thoughts on how to find the positivity in the online world Chris! Using technology together is a great opportunity to bond but also to understand what your child’s interests are and even to learn together!
Use Linphone instead of Skype or Google Hangouts. Linphone doesn’t track, is open-source and respects your privacy.
I do these…I try to involve myself as much as I can with my son’s activities and learning. Makes you know your child more and what his strengths and weaknesses are and what needs improvement. Great post!
I’m okay with using technology with kids, but I feel my own children’s school is over using it. They no longer have worksheets for homework (my daughter is in 4th grade), they only have homework online. Sadly, this isn’t doable for many students here in the city. Not everyone has a computer, laptop, tablet etc. at home or even internet access. I know as a mom of three going to the library for one kid to do her online homework and trying to keep the two boys quiet and occupied just is not an option. At school they are now allowed to choose between the computer and playing with toys. I wish they’d go back to computer labs and remove the computers from the class room. My daughter is in 4th grade and they have laptops and ipads that they use in class. Yes, limited use is okay, but it really sounds to me as though they are being over used even in school.
I had never hears of Linphone before – sounds cool!
Thanks Tracy and Sarh for sharing!
Sometimes having technology can be detrimental to a student’s forward progress in learning and schools have incorporated this more and more. I think there is a balance that has to be found, but it not always easy!
I love that you bring out the positive in this!! People need to see that there is some positive in letting your kids enjoy technology. Even for me, at the end of a long day I just want to relax-if the kids are happy and busy for a little while (after their chores and homework is completed) then I get to relax!
I try really hard to stay present while my daughter tells me about her day. I try to remind myself that what she is sharing is important to HER, even if it sounds trivial to me!
Sometimes staying present is hard, especially with all of the technology around us. It is so important to set the example we want them to live though, so putting it down and being present is very important!
You should also tech your child the negative that comes with using technology. For instances bad websites, and apps that do more harm than good like snap chat thing.
Great point Sherry. You definitely have to allow kids to see the good and the bad when it comes to technology!
Recently, I have been allowing my two young daughters to watch cooking videos with me. When they see something cool, then we get in the kitchen and cook together!
Linphone is new to me, I will have to check this out.
Kids always ask questions. Always. What’s this? What’s that? They will come to me with things they heard in school, or things they are learning, or words they heard, or something that interests them or people. I have been doing this for years, but I always sit down with them and we Google it. We will read about thinhs, look at pictures, watch videos and discuss it. We even use a couple of websites for learning, and there’s a lot of TV network sites for kids for learning that we use as well. My kid’s don’t always have Internet time on my tablet, but when we do they get to use it for something that would be learning like or educational in some way. Otherwise they play their own games. My daughter loves playing the preschool games and my son loves watching videos on a variety of topics, like history, people, animals and bugs,etc.
As far as technology in the schools go, I think it is great but that it is taking over and some kids aren’t doing as well. Both my older 2 kids, ages 10 and 5, have learning challenges due to hyperactivity, and my 5 year old daughter has speech and focus and behavioral issues. We’ve had conferences with my 10 year old son’s teachers before about tests he took on the computer. He is easily distracted and tests on the computer have time limits. On one test he only finished half because it timed out on him, but the half he did, he did well on. So I think technology is ok to enhance learning but not to take it over. Especially with testing. You can’t go back, and it times out and some people just do better with paper and pencil tests.