When it comes to children and their use of available forms of technology, points of view lean toward the negative.

Most of the negative points of view state children should not be exposed to smart phones, tablets and social media.

The argument is that they are suffering from over exposure and are too dependent on their devices. We all know too much of anything can be bad.

However, when used in moderation and with supervision, technology exposes young people to more information than has ever been available in the past.

While there is a lot of misinformation on the Internet, there is an abundance of factual information available.

While online resources provide a faster avenue to obtain new information, there is something to be said for the longevity of the printed word and how it builds on the imagination.

For that reason, books should also be an integral part of every child’s development.

Keep in mind though many children growing up in the 80’s and 90’s had exposure to Ataris, Nintendos and Playstations.

Even though their use of these devices may have included countless hours spent in front of a flickering screen, most managed to become functioning members of society.

At the same time, many parents in those decades also insisted their children play outside.

Removed from their electronic gadgets and games, those children used their imaginations to built forts of pine straw and sticks, caught fish and snakes in the ditches or created new games where face to face human interaction was required.

Imagination is an essential part of a child’s development and technology doesn’t require one.