"Left to our own devices", as the phrase goes, we seek and find what we need from life or at least what we think we need.
There is instant gratification that comes from screen time in all its many forms.
When I consider how young minds develop, I think of the ingenuity stage when a child is drawn to a simple game because of the sense of accomplishment that comes from the experience.
Similarly, at that same age, the same child may enjoy using a simple digging tool in a garden and receive the same sort of instant feedback without the excess visual and auditory stimuli a tech device may bring at a great cost to anxiety and depression levels.
The following are some of the various paraphrased quotes I have heard from children and teens through the years regarding their relationships with technology:
“I can trust my computer. I can’t say that about people. If my computer breaks, I can fix it”.
“My games are interactive".
"The internet is more fun and exciting than anything I get from another person”.
Tech is stellar these days. There is no doubt. Technology (apps, video games, the internet) is often seen as cooler and more interactive than the human beings in a person’s life.
However, that does not mean that they don’t want peers and parents in their lives. Often, the same folks that say their games are more exciting also say that they want more quality time with their parents.