The Influences of Technology on Family Life

This is truly the age of technology. It has come to such an extent that even family life has changed to some degree.

Families these days have very busy schedules and the only way they can communicate with each other is by using cell phones and the computer or the laptop. Children and parents must learn how to multitask in order to bring some degree of normality to their everyday life.
Children are beginning to use technology mediums at a very young age. This causes them to depend on these mediums to communicate with others and by doing so they stop interacting with others personally.

In a way these new means of communication make the inexistence of love and comprehension within the family possible. The presence of some means of communication during meals decrease the communication between family members because they spend most of their attention on the TV and not between themselves. Families become in a way addicted to technology and may no longer be able to function without it.

But there are some positive aspects to technology like, when some family members live in other countries; the means of communication allow them to be virtually reunited. Another advantage of the means of communication in the family context is the online shopping and payments which allow parents to save some time that can be used for family recreation.

Examples of the exaggerated use of technology are:

• Some children and adolescents start their day by going directly to the computer or by sending text messages to their friends;
• Sometimes even the communication between parents and children inside the household is done through text messages;
• Children and adolescents tend to get sucked in by their virtual world and don’t pay attention to what is happening around them in their home;
• Due to the access to the internet parents may have the possibility to bring their work home and spend less quality time with their family.

The means of communication directly influence family life, as such the control of the use of these means is very important so that family life doesn’t get completely altered and no great consequences are experienced by all the family members. There should be a balance between spending time with your family and using the various means of communication.

Trabalho realizado por:

• Ana Maria, nº1
• Catarina,nº6
• Inês,nº13
• Isabela,nº14
• Jéssica, nº15

10ºB