Technophobia Doesn’t Help Protect Your Child
It’s no secret that kids these days are very savvy when it comes to technology. They can run circles around their parents when using a computer or the Web. It’s this technophobia that some parents have that kids can use to their advantage. Because mom and dad don’t know much about how to operate a computer, or don’t have the time or interest to learn what their kid does online, then the kid can be made to feel just a little bit superior. That may lead to bolder actions while surfing the Web. What mom and dad don’t know, can’t hurt them, right? While that may be true, the harsh reality of it is what the kid doesn’t know can be just as dangerous.
It’s commonplace for high schools to require students to have laptops. And because it’s for school, parents may overlook it as just another tool they use for homework. Or maybe they feel as though they don’t have a right to ask their child to see what’s on their school computer. Even still, they may worry that they may break something or delete important school files.
I disagree with this. The odds of accidentally deleting a file are remote because it’s just too darn unlikely that the sequence of events used to perform that action would randomly fall into place for that to happen. Same thing goes for breaking something on the computer. As though just a few clicks here and there would render the computer inoperable. It’s just not likely.
These feelings are understandable, but not valid, and they’re certainly not promoting a safe environment for your kid. We naturally tend to think something bad is going to happen if we don’t understand the whole picture. That’s a very common behavior and one we all share to some degree.
Maybe you or someone you know exhibits this technophobia. So consider taking the time to chip away at that by learning more about computers and the Web, or encouraging that someone you know to learn about it. It won’t be overnight, but as you become more comfortable with the technology, the mystery of it will melt away. Pretty soon you’ll begin to realize that it’s not so bad. Additionally, you’ll be taking back that authority which belongs to you by explaining to your child that it’s in their best interest to make their computer openly available to you.
Naturally, do what works for you and your kid. Will they balk at the idea of letting you into their world? Perhaps. I’m not saying it will be easy, especially if their independence has been given a chance to flourish without interference. But which is better: a few arguments to set things on track and keep your kid safe, or keeping their privacy intact and possibly reading about them in tomorrow’s newspaper?
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