With more than 30 years as a teacher including over 20 in the educational technology field, I’ve heard many kids reflect thoughtfully, and not so thoughtfully, on their parents’ digital skills.
Here are the seven most common “I Wish” statements that I’ve heard expressed by children over the last 16 or 17 years. Two of them, I can report, my daughter also mentioned to me ages ago.
Kids wish their parents and other adults would:
- Try to learn a lot more about computers in particular and technology in general.
- Stop saying they don’t know much about technology (mom’s especially).
- Not use Blackberries and phones at sports games and school events.
- Learn to play some of the kids’ online games.
- Understand more about helping with searches on the Internet.
- Understand how hard it is to learn the technology rules and regulations and not always threaten to take away technology access when there’s a problem.
- Not automatically say that new things like Wikipedia are questionable.
To learn a bit more read 4 Lessons for Parents in a Constantly Connected World over at the Mashable site.
Great Books that Address the Monumental Cultural Changes in Our Lives
(and help parents and other adults understand more about digital kids)
- Hamlet’s Blackberry – William Powers
- Alone Together – Sherry Turkle
- Born Digital: The First Generation of Digital Natives – John Palfrey
- The Computer Boys Take Over – Nathan Ensmenger
Media! Tech! Parenting! 