Protecting a Child's Innocence Amidst Their Technological Universe
There are many benefits that come with technology. Most often they come in the way of making things “easier” for the user. Today our children have access to more information, from more times, and from more places than anyone ever in history. Gone are the days of the Encyclopedia salesman convincing parents that for the price of a used car, they could boost their children into a future undiscovered. Now this opportunity is on the other side of an internet connection, and at the Academy for GOD, we are doing our best to take advantage of the benefit.
However, with such opportunity also comes the need to be responsible. While we as an educational institution can do all we can to ensure safeguards, we also need parents to be actively involved in protecting our children from information they’re not ready to see, or know.
In the bible, the man (Adam) and the woman (Eve) decided to have their eyes opened for themselves by obtaining knowledge independent of God’s timing and his revelation (see Gen. 3). This changed the way they saw the world - it was a loss of innocence.
It was never that God didn’t want the man and the woman to have knowledge, it’s that he knew that they needed guidance into what it was that they would see, learn, and experience.
In the same way, our children’s innocence needs protected at the vulnerable stage in life they are in. Though in time, their eyes will be opened to many things, it’s our responsibility to do our best to ensure it comes at a time when they can handle it.
A knowledge of violence and the hostility of the world, to a child, can not only be traumatizing, but also affect their development and their ability to trust; their optimism on the goodness that life has to offer, becomes damaged.
God wanted to walk (the biblical concept of education) with the man and woman in the garden. He wanted to teach them how to see the world. He wanted to open their eyes.
At the Academy, while protecting your child’s innocence, we are also trying to open their eyes at appropriate times, with appropriate subject matter that will allow them to gracefully navigate a world that doesn’t know God, and in turn can be quite hostile. However, with this knowledge of God, and the development of faith, they can be the kind of people who have hope and who can work for the kind of change that leads to a new, and beautiful day.
In an attached article, the writer encourages parents to take charge of their children’s technological endeavors by becoming familiar with both the devices, and the ways in which the devices can be used. While we will do everything we can at school to watch over your children, it won’t be enough. We need you to partner with us in ensuring students’ eyes are not opened prematurely and innocence is preserved for as long as possible.
I hope the article is informative and it leads you into further investigation as you take charge of your children’s technological universe.
God bless you!
Mr. Gregg Garner
Source: http://edtechreview.in/news/858-parents-need-to-learn-enough-technology-to-guide-their-child
