Youth & technology

If you goto a school function regardless of age or grade you will see children and parents alike stuck with their heads in their tablets or smart phones. What you don't see are kids and parents talking about the function, who's singing, what the rules of said game are, whatever. You don't see the children communicating with each other, they are but through their social media and text messages, even when they are sitting right next to each other.  I always hear people talking about how they wish their kids were more active, social, or just involved; yet they are the ones funding the smartphones, tablets, and new game consoles. People are becoming so disconnected from those sitting right next to them and yet wonder why we don't find out from them about their ailing family member or newest addition to the family.  We have this big hooplah about texting and driving and pledge not to do it. Yeah it dangerous, we understand.  But maybe instead of continuously adding to our child's technology "needs" pull them out of cyber space and "the cloud". People need to rely less on technology and more on life. I feel that if Facebook, Twitter, snapchat, and sexting wasn't as important to those doing it that we wouldn't have to worry about the pledge to drive and not text but the pledge to be who you are and be "disconnected" from your network and connected to your surroundings?
I guess the silver lining to this charcoal cloud is that with your kids eyes glued to a little screen they aren't glued to the opposite sex, well they are but not those in front of them, but those who are across the country or world. You don't have to worry too much about young teen pregnancy but your kids nude or provocative pictures being spread all over the internet for pedophiles or sex offenders to find. I guess that's always better, right? No, well then why aren't we as adults putting this to a stop?!? Why are we shoving technology, cyberspace, and networking in our youths faces?  Is it because it makes an easy babysitter, one that you only have to pay once and they will babysit for the rest of their childhood, what does that say about us as parents?  But you're going to argue, "well my child is left out, everyone else has a smart phone, a tablet, a laptop with a webcam and wifi in their bedroom; so I have to do this for my kid". Teach your child young and constantly that it is ok to be different, it's better to be active, social, and intelligent then just another kid in the crowd of those around you. That as a child it is better to have time with your family and friends than have all the crap that no one really cares about. That they might not agree now but they will later in life. Parents forget who the parents are, put your foot down, get your eyes off the damn screen and unplug the wifi, computers, tv, whatever and spend some damn technology free time with your kids. You only get this time once, you can't get it back, make the most of it, and get to know your kids and let your kids get to know you.