The Child and the Gizmo

 

  I came across a quote from Reverend Billy Graham today that I thought was quite thought provoking for this day and age.  The quote is: "While our young people are gaining knowledge, they are not always acquiring wisdom to use that knowledge."


     Reverend Graham wrote that statement in 1992 which was far before the explosion of home computers, I-pods, I-phones, and I-pads.  If youth were gaining knowledge back then, think how much they are acquiring now.  They're acquiring knowledge on an almost 24-7 basis which is much too fast to place acquired knowledge in proper context and perspective.

     It is incumbent on parents, grandparents, teachers, and mentors to help the kids slow down and assimilate all the facts and knowledge they are encountering.  It is common these days to see kids in restaurants, on airplanes, even at family events intensely glued to a hand held electronic gizmo of some kind or other.  If the relationship remains between the child and the gizmo there is absolutely no chance of that child benefiting from any context or perspective.  Those necessities are non-existent in that kind of relationship.  The gizmo is incapable of providing those necessities.

     Every child is entitled to healthy playtime, no question.  However, on occasion, said occasion being more frequent than not, an adult needs to insert himself/herself and create a three way relationship i.e. child, gizmo, adult.  The adult's role being to provide the context and perspective for the information the child is absorbing.  Only then can we hope the child will, at a future time, develop the wisdom needed for a productive life.