Growing up as the last generation to remember life before the internet is bitter sweet. I’ll always have fond memories of those days spent riding my bike around the neighborhood with my neighborhood friends, however, I have just as fond memories spent in AOL chatroom talking to my group of friends.
The internet sure has made life much more simple, for example look at life before map apps. We had to use a physical map and learn how to read and use them properly!
However, from seeing the news the internet has also brought some major issues and pressures that I’ll never experience as a child. While the old saying “stick and stones may break my bone, but names will never harm me”, is easy to say, but isn’t quite true. While we did have bullies in school, we had a break from them when we got home. Now children growing up not only have the possibilities of dealing with real life bullies, but also cyberbullies. With technology social apps and text, children are constantly effecting them.
Another internet phenomenon is FOMO, fear of missing out. This one not only effects children, but many adults. With popularity of social apps like Instagram, people are constantly comparing their life to someone else. This is definitely bad for mental health. It may cause one to always feel that their life isn’t as good. As adults we’ll always encourage children to talk to us, but try to remember how it was when you were young. Talking to adults never seemed like it was an option.
Whether we’re being called Gen Y, Millennials, Xennials, or The Oregon Trail Generation we’ll never experience what the new generation of children will of only knowing life with the internet. With all that being said I guess it boils down that I really hope that I’ll be able to do all I can to help my son grow up happy and healthy in this wild west digital age. I want my son to get to experience the joys of life away from a screen and enjoy face to face interaction with friends.