Shannon Philpott-Sanders

Playground Dilemma: The Balance at Play

Published February 2011: eHow Family & Relationships

Playground Dilemma: The Balance at Play
Parents Can Guide Children to Benefits from Both Wireless and Wired Activities

Article Excerpt:

As a tech-savvy parent, Barack Levin is exposed to computers every day. The Atlanta-area stay-at-home dad and author of “The Diaper Chronicles: A stay at home dad’s quest for raising great kids” says he sees the disadvantages of living in a wired environment and decided not to allow his only child exposure to technology until he was 5. Even at that age, Levin sets limits.

“My son is limited to play with a Nintendo DSi for only 20 minutes a day — not more than that. When he turns 8, we might introduce him to other technologies such as a PC or Wii,” Levin said. “I believe that kids need to experience the real world first before they dive into the virtual one.”

The virtual world, however, is often unavoidable. A technology revolution complete with computer games, video consoles, accessible Wi-Fi and iPods can pose a challenge for parents who grew up playing outside and without wires. Technology is everywhere and seems to be a way of life for some families. How much is too much? What type of technological play is beneficial? And how can parents find a balance for their children?

– Shannon Philpott

February 26, 2011 - Posted by sphilpott | Feature Stories, Magazine Writing, Sample Work | children and technology, playground dilemma, video games and children, wireless play