Joseph's a-ha moment #5

Technology use among children continues to rise. The number of elementary aged children who have cell phones is somewhat baffling. I have seen younger and younger children walking around with mp3 players. In my family the use of video games started when we were as young as three. For many parents and grandparents, children are the ones who introduce technology to the family and are usually responsible for instruction for the new technology.

The safety of children when using the internet or other technology is always a valid concern. However, there is much knowledge that these young trailblazers can offer to the older generations. The value of communication between children and their parents can not be overstated. Using adult experience and common sense combined with younger creativity and capacity for learning can lead to successful use of the technology.

Driving while connected

In one of the pew reports a survey found that forty seven percent of adults have text while driving and seventy percent of adults have talked on a cell phone while driving. Although I have never text while driving, I admit that I have talked on a cell phone while driving. To be honest I am a little surprised that the number of drivers who use their cell phone while driving isn't higher. The convenience of cell phones and the danger of driving distracted is something that continues to be discussed on the community and state level.

Here is a link to a public service announcement made in England (the video labeled as graphic so be aware). Using these shock videos is nothing new, you can probably remember videos in school about drugs and using a seat belt. Many of these videos become something of school yard legends and inside jokes. Even posted on youtube they become targets to jokes on the comment boards. With all the jokes targeted at these sort of videos, the effectiveness of these sort of warnings has to be questioned.

Unfortunately warnings like those to stop using cell phones while driving go unheeded until something truly tragic happens. So we have local governments try to enforce cell phone bans, but even this kind of punishment is sometimes not enough. Why are people willing to put themselves in danger simply because we feel like bad stuff can't happen to us or is it some kind of need to stay connected?