S.T.E.M. stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. All these fields are becoming increasingly important in our current society. They are the cornerstones of our future as humans. There’s a reason that S.T.E.M. toys and kits have become more popular and it’s because we need our children to learn how amazing technology is.
Do children and technology mix?
This is something that a lot of people worry about. When I say technology, many people think I’m talking about iPhones, computers, and tablets. That’s a completely different topic, though.
So, should Kids get to tinker and build using S.T.E.M. materials? Yes, they should, and they should be encouraged to do so.
First, let's go over the unrealistic expectations people had of the future over fifty years ago. Humanity envisioned flying cars, huge neon billboards, and holographic communication. While we have seen immensely significant improvements in technology, we are nowhere near what had been expected.
Why is that?
It seems that a lot of people are afraid of new technology. For reasons that can’t fully be explained, the sciences were almost neglected. We can only become smarter by challenging ourselves, and humans don’t tend to do well when confronted with a challenge.
Kids are discouraged from using technology like games and smartphones.
Instead, they are encouraged to go outside and move around. However, America's childhood obesity problem suggests that that isn’t actually happening as much as we’d like to think.
So, what are kids doing?
More kids have access to the internet and things like social media. However, social media isn’t exactly what is meant when we discuss technology and children.
Children are, unfortunately, spending a lot more of their time not being entertained. With work stress that a lot of families suffer from today, there is less time for things like playing with your child. Therefore, kids are usually left to their own devices. This can lead to bad behavior, another problem a lot of people complain about these days.
The truth
Technology isn’t such a bad thing, it’s just how we teach our children to use it. If you try to keep your kids away from technology, then you might end up with a lot more problems. Every generation has complained about younger generations, it’s simply a fact. At some point and time, we are going to have to learn to not only embrace the future but also to guide our children to make the best choices regarding that future.