Bridging the Gap by Embracing Technology

I make kids think, I make them read, I make them write,
I make them spell,I make them question,I make them criticize,
I make them work, I make a difference
Who am I?
Only one unanimous answer from Gen Z: Technology.

For some ways to Gen Z,a pencil has become an obsolete material (which is used in compulsion during examinations for making diagrams) with a print key in the front and sometimes an erase key at the back.
Texting plus Facebook is a text book for them.

The Gen-Z kid is a tech-savvy, emotionally charged social buff.

So, what are the ways and means of parenting this generation that is our future?

Let’s redefine the parental role towards our tech-savvy kids. Instead of resisting change, let’s welcome it and try to learn something new- this way, we can bridge the gap between us and them, while being able to ensure they don’t fall prey to the perils of social media and harmful content.

Today’s children are digital natives,so their pattern of learning is quite different as compared to previous generations. They work on laptops, holding cell phones in their hands. They do read books but prefer soft copies unlike our generation, who grew up with only hard copies, keeping them safely for years even after their pagesturned yellow.

Gen Z’s perception of entertainment and rejuvenation is also very different from ours. These young-adult multitaskers find enjoy online games, social networking sites, etc, but to our surprise they open different tabs on their laptops and continue to work on school assignments, presentations and projects in regular intervals.
The big question is, how to handle these digital dwellers when as a parent,we arestill digitalimmigrants?

Mother’s Diary

Like every concerned mother, Iused to keep an eye on my son’s room and his devices.

Slowly & steadily, I realized that my son is only getting agitated with this, and slowly became distant. Lesser conversations about school and friends, shutting the bedroom door- he was very avoidant.

After much thought and deliberation, I decided to respect and maintain boundaries and not do anything that made him uncomfortable.

He didn’t respond too well to my constant advice, counseling efforts, whatsapp gifs, videos, and voice notes that I sent in order to reach out to him were left on read.

That very day, I as a parent decided to work in a mannerwhich would bridge this gap.

One to tap into his digital interest in a positive manner and secondly, as my final attempt to monitor his device usage.

As a parent, being a digital immigrant, I started seeking his help and guidance in handling my phone and laptop efficiently.

Gen Z’s perception of entertainment and rejuvenation is also very different from ours. These young-adult multitaskers find enjoy online games, social networking sites, etc, but to our surprise they open different tabs on their laptops and continue to work on school assignments, presentations and projects in regular intervals.

While texting him, I used emojis instead of long messages. I started playing word games on Webster dictionary just to catch his attention, which I ultimately did!

Slowly, he became more involved about making me ‘Tech-ready’
He would give me specific topics to look up and browse throughwith a deadline attached to it.

Initially, I struggled, but eventually, I learnt how to help him find multiple information sources through Quora, blogs, and niche websites.

It led to a new, improved bond, and we ultimately watched movies of his interest together- superhero and sci-fi ones.

Through my journey, I realised that technology can serve as a tool to bond with children, not a threat.

Sweety Rastogi is a teacher, mentor, curriculum planner andwho advocates liberation of education processes to accommodate change. She calls herself a co-learner in this journey.With 23 years of experience in the education sector, she currently heads the Maths Department at Learning Paths School, Mohali.