Helen Plus Three

Bus apps on the mobile, great idea ? Maybe, sometimes. Mine is the for-android version..... am not an IPhone fan . On the one hand, it helps pick which route to take or which alternative is faster, on the other it can be stressful. Once upon a time, we were able to take our time,  wait patiently, because we did not have expectations of  the bus arrival. But today with the bus app, before you reach the stop, you can check on the arrival. And so you time yourself and get ready to meet that time or fret you might miss it or curse that you have missed it. Did we just add a pile of anxiety to our plate ? Seems like everything we do gets put on the clock and we help ourselves to it. Download any more 'helpful' apps lately?

When you say no TV,  remember to specify Youtube, cos Youtube is not TV. When you say no games, remember to specify TV and pc, AND mobile phone. It's the technicalities that the kids will get you on. They are so sharp when it comes to that kind of stuff and yet they can't apply it at school. There are way too many channels to plug, and if the kids are in need of reminding to be responsible, just wave the wand on the 'parental controls' and block it all.  When the battle cries have calmed down and they then can hear what I am saying,  I release some of the sites, but not before I 've looked them over. Beware of gambling card games hidden well within innocent looking kids games.

Are you in the age group that can remember the old telephone. Yesterday in the mall, we passed one of these decorative replicas and my daughter asks me ' I don't understand how do you dial..' . For a moment, my brain sort of stalled, it's not something I would have worked out an explanation for before now, ever I think!. So I explained, if you want the 8,  you put your finger into the slot, go round to the metal stopper and then let it go back and then you pick the next number like a 6 and do the same. And she gave me this strange wide-eye look.. that said ..making a call would like take FOREVER.... And I started to laugh and then I said 'we grew up doing many things patiently, you can't imagine that can you, everything is instant these days, at the click/tap of a button or key.'  These young people, get flustered when the internet explorer runs too slowly or files take 15 sec longer to download or emails don't get through fast enough. Imagine wai...

I'm reading Future Minds at the moment and oh my goodness, I think Richard Watson is describing my youngest ..... the attention deficit, hyperactivity fleeting from subject to subject, unable to entertain themselves, bored always bored when there are a thousand things to do ..... . Are you afraid of leaving home without your cellphone? While we are at instant coffee, they are at instant answers. While we enjoy and can savour our tea, they can't slow down to do that, much less think and reflect for deeper and wider issues. Do they realise you can reset to solve problems. If they are hooked to the screens, it's difficult for them to read or to want to read... cos it's slow, it's boring, it's not interesting There's little practise to engage from their part, because the screens always engage them. Traffic is one way What's happened to imagination. Has the brain already been re-wired, am I too late, it's scary. Holidays are coming SOON. First...

'boon and bane ' Game speeds, hand eye coordination ...   violent game scenarios.... they can pick up games and yet have problem using  the Powerpoint ? Typing is too passe...  .. I suppose the invention to do away with that is up next ! Where's the time to experience peace, calm..dinner conversation... when the goal of each waking moment is to fill with some action. Unless it's 'moving', nothing else seems to HOLD their attention for long... everything else seems slow and booori..ng especially reading.. What's happened to their imagination, where is it buried, how do we bring it back out to work again. Unlike the ancient floppy disk, the imagination has no limitations so why are children so limited in using theirs.