Growing up online--cyber world

By Cinthia Grimm
College of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
March, 2011

In tonight’s class, it was very interesting to come up with solutions for the mother who returned to school and was having trouble with her eldest daughter. I think that for sure some of the motivational theories would work better than others, but I think what we all finally came up with was probably a combination of all of them. The biggest issue, the daughter spending all her time on the computer and in front of the TV, I think is what one of the major problems is with today’s youth. We have become so entrenched in technology that we forget all other forms of work or play. When I went to school, once we came home we had to do homework and then were told to “go outside and play.” We’d be called in at dinner time and then, if it was still light out, we could go back outside and play with our neighborhood friends. This girl has totally substituted cyber world for her real world.

Many of today’s children “speak” more to their friends over social media than they do face to face. In my observations, I’ve noticed students actually carrying their cell phones in their hand; they are used literally so frequently that they cannot even be put in a pocket. These students are not appreciating the moment they are in; they always need to text someone else, even when their friend is standing right next to them talking! I think this mother should definitely take away the facebook account, although enforcing that will be impossible unless she is able to watch her at all times. She needs to regain her daughter’s trust by spending time with her so that she may then choose to get rid of her own facebook, based on her respect for her mother’s judgment.