Mom's Talk: Raising Tech-Savvy Kids With Common Knowledge Too

Are we teaching our children to lead a balanced life?

This generation of children is able to grasp technology and its advantages. But some of the simple, common-sense things we know are slipping through the cracks of knowledge that kids are getting from home and school.

For instance, most children do know about text messages on cell phones. On the flip side, some college-age students do not know how to address a letter, where to buy stamps and the importance of a thank-you note sent swiftly (within two weeks).

How about seven-year-olds who learned to Velcro their shoes and still do not know how to tie a bow on the sneakers? This is convenient for fast-off and on shoes because parenting these days is a speedway of trips in the car with places to go and things to see.

But kids need to learn fine motor skills. These small, muscle skills are important to developing handwriting, picking up and placing things and hand-eye coordination. Coloring, drawing, and, yes, even video game playing can help this small motor skill develop.

The family often is running from place to place, and grab-and-go dinners happen far too often. Do our middle school children know how to work a can opener? Can reading a recipe teach them some survival skills? Yes, we have been told that family dinners are important for building relationships, but they can teach knowledge of a life time skills too. How to make a salad, when to start the vegetables so they are ready with the chicken casserole can be passed onto most middle schoolers.

This generation has gained  technology information and speed, and there is a label being placed on this challenge. It is called "growing up Google". Can we help them become problem-solvers without sending them to the search button on the computer? It's okay to research for knowledge, but there is another type of  knowledge search, only this one is gained from a lifetime of experience.

By being involved in the family, community and school, children young and old can be well-balanced in learning.

There is a benefit to common knowledge given to children through example, parental teaching and life learning. Things like taking a walk, studying nature, seeing how the sun comes up and goes down at night can all be told through pictures. But doing it yourselves and seeing it in real-life provides another life time learning. Skills that are developed while experiencing things hands-on can be balanced with technology like cell phones, computers, DVRs, and the Internet.

Let's make sure that our children can ride a bike, throw a skipping stone, tie their shoes, know how to read a recipe and follow it.  Teach common skills. The benefit for our children will last for a lifetime.