A smart way of spoiling a fifth-grader?

It’s a sunny day, great for taking my feathered-kids out for a walk.
(Actually I’m not sure who is taking who. Flipper, my strong-headed girl, lets me know in no uncertain terms she wants to go out; and I’m happy to comply — as often as I can : )

We go to the nearby park.  There we see few other neighbors. The fifth grader from across the street is there with her friends. We stop and talk with them for a while.

One of the girls proudly shows us the latest gift from her grandma: a smartphone. I look at her, then at her friends.  Judging by their interaction with one another, such a “cool” gift instantly elevated her status among her friends.

*  *  *  *  *  *

We seem to have mixed feelings when it comes to technology. We love all the benefits. But then we talk about the need to “unplug”. We need to remember that all our technological devices are “tools” — nothing more, nothing less.
When we want to spend quality time with family and friends, just turn them off. It’s that simple.
Winners are those who CAN strike a balance between being connected and enjoying the journey of life.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Back to my walk in the park, fifth-graders, and smart phones.

When it comes to children and mobile devices, many parents and educators are concerned.  Especially when new studies link the use of mobile devices to a decrease in attention span and a decline in critical thinking.
Parents do want the best for their children.
And grandparents do want to spoil their grand kids as much as they possibly can : )

Is the smartphone a smart way of spoiling a fifth-grader?

Mariana Fieraru

Mariana Fieraru, an Eastern European transplant, fell in love with her new home shortly after landing in New York. She "discovered" pizza! Years later she still loves pizza. And so do her two feathered-kids, Sunny and Flipper

Mariana worked on both, the east and the west coast.
Big or small, each project she worked on helped define the importance of gaining and sustaining a competitive edge in an increasingly complex business environment.

Business know-how, love of teaching and writing – all combined in 2006 to form OBI.
Its mission: to make learning fun! And easy.

Through its training, consulting, and publications OBI builds bridges of knowledge to take you from where you are to
where you want to go. Using a mix of serious, informal, analytical, and optimistic approach, OBI truly makes learning fun.

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