Yeah, Christmas is almost here and the thought of what to get the kids for Christmas is at the front of the thought process. Which brings up todays question, “Are you giving technology for Christmas?”
Now, I will preempt this post by saying that I am a tech-junkie, even though others know me as Camp Master Steve, or the uncle from the Nutcracker, or the Lt. Dan look alike, and Jesus. (Yeah, I live a rather diverse life here!) I have had a video game next to me since I was 9 years old. 
As a matter of fact, I still have my original ColecoVision gaming system and it still works! Yes, you do have to blow the dust out of the cartridges prior to putting them in the console, but you can still play Donkey Kong like no ones business! Later on in life, I started playing with computers when I would visit my mom on the weekends. Commodore 64 was my introduction into programing. Complete with 5 1/4″ floppies and cassette tape drive. Soon, I received a computer before going off to college. The CompUSA SoHo 2! This computer was maxed out with 2 MB of RAM! Yes, I said 2 MB of RAM! Soon the computer was confiscated and cleaned for me by the college I was attending at that time, due to a security breach in their record keeping system that allowed me to access the grades of everyone in the school. It was either that or come home. I can safely discuss this now since the statute of limitations is no longer in effect on that case. At my next school (long story on why there is another school), I moved up to a HP with 4 MB of RAM! Yep, I was the big dog on the hall when it came to memory in the computer and my 133 Mz processing power!
Times have changed, computers have greatly surpassed anything I had back then and all of my ColecoVision games can be found in a simple plug-in joystick. But one thing that has not changed over all this time is this : cyber pornography. Bet you did not see that coming. Since images have been able to move about on the internet, there has been sites dedicated to pornography. Now today, tablets, laptops, smartphones, and even dumb phones can all have pornography viewed on them. It is something that we all would like to think that our kids would not be doing, but the reality is, most are. Game consoles sell and promote games of sex, surfing the web shows ads of girls in various attire trying to lure you to their site, and cell phones allow you to sext and tweet text or photos of anything you can think of.
Parents, when you are making the decision this year to give technology for Christmas, I want you to think of your kids and what you are handing them. Is it a tool, yes. Is there anything wrong with having the computer, tablet or smart phone? No there is not. However, are you going to be the parent that helps your kids with their new tool and learn how to use it correctly? Are you going to be the parent that disciples and trains your child in where they should and should not be going? Are you going to be the parent that tries to keep your kids from doing what you did when your mom and dad were not looking over your shoulder?
It is a tough decision to make with consequences that will last through your kids life. Because what they will see and hear can never be erased from their mind. Your kid may not be the one out looking for it on the devices, but I will bet you they have friends that will show it to them if they have not already. I am not trying to put a guilt trip on your thoughts of giving technology for christmas, I am simply asking you to be prepared to stand in the gap and be prepared to guide, nurture, disciple and train your child in the way they should go.
Till next time…
I’m just a Husband of a Homeschooling Mom,
Steve