The techy things used by kids today definitely hurts their communication skills, their spelling skills, their person to person interaction skills, all together. Our society is setting the next generation up for complete failure. Everything these days are getting more and more techy, relying more and more on computer programs, electrical connections, we can't even pump gas into our cars without the assistance of a computer. What would happen in a power outage - how many businesses would be able to remain open - how many of those techy machines would work? My generation - I get up and moving while the sun is up, I go to bed when the sun no longer lights my way. I have a lot of things I can do that keeps me busy, and it has nothing to do with holding a high tech- anything, in my hands. My kids - oh they can use their mouths to communicate (Whine) in a power outage, wanting to know when the power is going to be back on, and why won't their cell phone charge . . . it's plugged in. I look at my kids and really wonder what their generation will bring to this world, I see what direction the schools are taking them in, and I see where our society and government is going, and I'm scared.

I believe "electronic arts" are designed to be highly addictive, be it computer games for kids or video slot machines for grandma. These games aren't games, of course. They're applied cognitive science.

As a licensed teacher (now working as a sub) I see students all over our district. They spend so much time on their cell phones and computers, they seem to have no interest in interacting with the real people standing in front of their eyes.

If you pass a teenager on the street, and they actually see you, they will quickly drop their eyes and begin checking their text messages. We are raising a group of technological wizards and social midgets.

I saw an employee of a restaraunt sneak into the bathroom to text, and she was in there for a very long time. I've heard people talk to each other like, "BRB!" "K! lol" (That's not language!) I've seen where people are so busy on their phone they don't even stop to apologize if they bump into you. Several places now have signs that they will be happy to help you once you finish your call and hang up. I was distracted in a movie theater recently when the group of teens in front of me were so busy texting back and forth and laughing that they weren't even watching the movie. (The lights from their phones kept flashing on, and anyone in the row behind could clearly read what was being texted. I was getting so annoyed that I was tempted to say, "Yes, Jim is very cute, but can you please discuss this after the movie?")

Where are the parents? Apparently they're either not teaching their children manners or enforcing them. I just bought emergency phones for my girls, and they use them when they go out. The rule is that if they abuse the prepaid phones the girls will lose them for a day. They know manners, and they are very polite, because I make sure they are. They are only allowed to play video games when their chores are done. We have a lot of educational stuff available for them, and they play outside often. I've seen many children whom I know would not make it a week in my house, because they would be required to limit their electronic time and be respectful. It's a shame. I think the above post about wizards and midgets says it all, and that's very sad.

I see nothing wrong with technology when it comes to children. As parents, we need to, like everything else, use moderation with the amount of time our children are on electronics. Kick them outside to play (interacting with others) or take some time out ourselves and get creative with our children (interact with them). I think many problems with children today are that we, as parents, tend to let the electronics be our babysitters.

It's a matter of setting the rules. My kids phones are on the dining table at 7pm, turned off. No phones at dinner (and that includes friends over) and no phones in the room at night. Don't like that? Then there's no phone. If I'm talking, and you text, it's gone for a day. Can't get in touch with a friend because she hasn't text'd back yet? I tell my kids.....um...there's a really neat invention that allows you to talk to someone and you can hear them talk back. It's called a telephone! Most kids are hesitant to call their friends! They hide behind texting. And the boys love the sexting....wake up Moms. It's unreal how these kids have taken a neat technology and turned it into a brothel of communication. Be careful. Set rules. Protect your kids.

" Todays Children are taking big risk as the Electronic items they are playing and using if Substandard can effect their health. I feel the duty of the parents is to find out if the product is Certified and then allow the kids to use "

As our kids grew up (they range from 13 to 19 now) we had a rule that they were allowed one hour per school day of "screen time". Just a few innocent years ago, that meant almost exclusively TV. As the proliferation of electronic devices sped up and their use became part of assigned school activities and everyday life, the rule became anachronistic as well as virtually impossible and impractical to enforce. However, I think all of us, adults as well, have fallen victim to this new wave of technology. I am regularly blown away when at a meeting or during a face to face conversation - business or casual - another adult will automatically reach for their phone when it alerts them to a call or text. If that sort of technology-driven rudeness doesn't qualify as compromising communications skills, I don't know what does. I long for the day when instant contact technology is so old hat that the pendulum swings back a bit toward manners and spoken (or at least well-written and accurately spelled) communication.

I agree that if hi tech devices are not over used they can be a good thing. Parents should monitor the amount of time a child can use a devise and then help that child develop an interest in team sports or other activities that require building and practicing social skills. I teach etiquette classes in the Atlanta area to children, teens, college students and professional business people to help them with their social and dining skills. We have an entire generation that has spent too many hours in front of a computer, and now hand held devices, and have lost the art of interacting with people face to face. This is the negative impact of too much time with high tach devices. Sara was right when she quoted the statistic that if you are equal in your technical skills with other applicants it will be the person with the best social skills that will get the job. College seniors have spent so much time and money on an education with a passion for a certain career but they are clueless about what to do for an interview or a meet and greet with a client or entertaining a client at dinner. Social and dining skills are an extension of your company and also of yourself. Be the best you can! My goal is to help each person develop his or her skills and have the best opportunity possible to reach their goals in life.

I have been working with youth for 21 years across the US and have seen an increase in the lack of eye contact and ability to communicate face-to-face. Technology is wonderful when it is used appropriately. Unfortunately, many seem not to understand what is appropriate. As adults we have had the opportunity to develop face-to-face communication skills, but our children have not yet mastered these skills.

In my own community, a beautiful 16 year old girl was busily texting her friends on her way to school. She rolled her vehicle and never made it to school that day, or home for dinner that night. I have been with teens when they stand in a group and text each other - never looking up - and leave saying what a great time they had with the others. I am waiting for the first wedding I attend where the couple does not gaze into each others eyes as they say their vows, but text them to each other and to their guests.

We, as parents and a community, must support our youth with strong social skills. Their future depends upon it.

I think that technology is a hurting our kids regarding their communication skills and spelling. Kids these days do not know how to talk to their friends in person anymore, they either text or chat online even if they are in the same room together. A couple of things that bother me about the texting is that one simple text can hurt their feelings or feel like that the other person must be mad at them. I firmly believe that if you are talking to the person on the phone or in person then you know can tell by the tone of their voice or facial expression exactly how they meant what they said. I mean where has chivalry gone, breaking up with someone with a text message is being a coward.... I have seen it many times. Of course I am talking about 10 to 15 year olds......

In my house we have rules regarding texting, they can not text till homework is done, at the table, no texting after 10 on school nights, 12 on weekends, and I can read them anytime I want to (that is the one they love).... I thank God that one of my children is not addicted to it, (don't get me wrong he likes to text but could live with out it). I tried to ground him once from texting and he said thats okay I don't have to text if I don't want to, and if he just doesn't feel like texting then he won't..... (of course this has caused problems too because when he don't text back then he must be mad at them) childish I know. It is pretty sad because he used to have a friend stay with us all the time and then once he got a phone and could text he stopped coming over to stay the night because we have rules and he is used to texting all hours of the night. So I think that parents should moniter their kids more and set ground rules for the amount of time they are texting... One more thing, when school started this year my kids had a hard time spelling again because of the texting andt that really disturbed me because that is the one subject they never had a problem with...

I struggled with my son last week just to get him to use the word "yes" instead of "ya" when he was being asked questions by the DOT staff while getting his permit.......drove me crazy (no pun intended)

Children aren't born with a toe tag that list the newest updates of technological devices that they will need in order to grow into a wise intellectual adult. The point I'm making is we were born without these extra devices and we can live without them. Please use common sense when you read this, you know which devices we can grow and live without. If you don't become that advance source of information needed to raise your child, then next advance device will.