(ThyBlackMan.com) Technology touches every part of our lives. It wasn’t always that way. But the world has changed. And there is no going back. So if you are the kind of person who hates the influence, pervasiveness, and ubiquity of technology, the world is going to seem like a very hostile place for you.
It will be especially troubling if you are trying to keep all of the perceived negatives of tech from adversely effecting your family. It has never been easier for a stranger to stalk your children. It can be a distraction from study. And it can put everyone in their own space, driving a wedge of distance between family members.
The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way at all. Technology can also be used for the good, especially in a family context. It all depends on what you do with it.
Here are 5 ways technology is good for your family when used the right way:
1. Together Time
It is true that if everyone has their own mobile television with shows on demand, each person in the household might become their own entertainment silo. But it doesn’t have to be that way at all.
It could actually serve to bring families together. For instance, with the DIRECTV + Internet bundles that offer capacious DVRs and everyone’s favorite shows on demand, families are no longer a slave to disparate schedules.
It doesn’t matter what time the show originally aired. The family can come together at a time that is convenient for them and not the network. Thanks to technology, together time is back.
2. Individual Time
Together time is good for families. But so is individual time. If the only thing you watched on television is what someone else wanted to watch, you will be missing out on the things that truly inspire you. Strong families need everyone to feel that they are equally important.
Today’s television tech includes both hardware and software that allows every individual in the family to enjoy and keep track of their favorite shows without interfering with someone else’s viewing habits. In this way, technology has empowered everyone in the family to express themselves.
3. Unlimited Education
Whether in grade school or graduate school, the school system provides a limited education. It is limited to the time you are in class, and for as long as those classes last. But those who will be competitive in the market place will need to have more than a limited education. They will have to become lifelong learners.
Education, like so many other things, begins at home. Everything from TV, internet, and games can and should be presented as educational opportunities. Almost any tech with a screen can be turned into a fun and productive way to learn. When kids learn to use tech in a way that educates then, they take their first steps to becoming lifelong learners.
4. No More Waiting
Remember the days of the dialup modem? Only one person could be online at a time.
Today, playing graphics-intensive games, streaming high-def movies, and uploading photos and videos to social networks take up a lot of bandwidth. Slow internet connections effectively limit the number of people in the household who can take full advantage of the services at one time.
But with true broadband, everyone in the home can do all of the things they need and want to do online without fighting over who has control of the resources.
5. Keep in Touch
Finally, technology can literally bring families closer by helping them keep in touch. When everyone has a mobile phone, no one is more than a phone call away. Better yet, a text is even faster.
There are apps such as Find My Friends that allow kids to see how close dad is to picking them up from school. Parents can use it to make sure the kids are where they are supposed to be. And despite the possibility for mischief, the benefits of personal and family security will always outweigh it.
Technology is neither good nor bad. It is only ever about the application of tech. Anything can be used for harm. But on balance, technology is very good for families.
Staff Writer; Larry Ford