Last weekend, I was at a USS swim meet and heard parents and coaches complaining about the "distraction" of many swimmers now. They blame this distraction (in addition to the rise of the boy/girl crazy period) on the advent of cell phones and IM-ing, etc. Apparently, at meets, and I've seen it, the kids spent scads of time on their cells phones, phoning friends, phoning kids across the pool, texting constantly (even to kids 5 feet away). Then they go home and IM for hours, checking and gossiping over the instant meet results and who beat who. Now, all the swimmers seem to know each other because, even if they're not on the same team or live in different states, they now can communicate easily via IM-ing and texting. I heard one coach say he's not sure how to get his swim kids to focus in this new techo-age. Obviously, some kids are focused like lasers, but I see an abundance of chatting and cell phone use too. Would kids do better without cell phones at meets? And is technology distracting them? Some seem to be swimming blazingly fast, but are others not swimming up to their potential because of this?
Parents
Former Member
BTW, when my daughter was three, after much debate, we bought her a TV with a VCR so she could watch Disney films. Now sixteen, she has a cell phone, a TV with a DVD player, and a laptop. It is a slippery slope indeed. On the other hand, she gets good grades and still talks to us (respectfully, most of the time).
This is exactly what I am talking about. You have given her some great technology for purposes of entertainment as well as education. Given the direction that our world is moving in, every day that our kids spend immersed in technology puts them at an advantage in the real world, when that post college day comes. In exchange for what you have provided, your daughter has been responsible enough to be respectful of her parents and to put forth a good effort in school. What more can you really ask for?
While my eldest is only 7, 8 on July 14th, she has been quite responsible with her iPod as well as the time she is permitted to spend using a computer at home. Assuming her responsibility and upstanding conduct continue, I have no intentions of withholding any type of reasonable technology from her in the future.
BTW, when my daughter was three, after much debate, we bought her a TV with a VCR so she could watch Disney films. Now sixteen, she has a cell phone, a TV with a DVD player, and a laptop. It is a slippery slope indeed. On the other hand, she gets good grades and still talks to us (respectfully, most of the time).
This is exactly what I am talking about. You have given her some great technology for purposes of entertainment as well as education. Given the direction that our world is moving in, every day that our kids spend immersed in technology puts them at an advantage in the real world, when that post college day comes. In exchange for what you have provided, your daughter has been responsible enough to be respectful of her parents and to put forth a good effort in school. What more can you really ask for?
While my eldest is only 7, 8 on July 14th, she has been quite responsible with her iPod as well as the time she is permitted to spend using a computer at home. Assuming her responsibility and upstanding conduct continue, I have no intentions of withholding any type of reasonable technology from her in the future.
