Kid Letters

Dear kids,

I feel like I haven't seen that much of you, between travel and work I miss you guys. So this is what I have been trying to figure out.

there is a fine balance in life and I cant seem to find it. I want to show you the world had give you opportunities for learning and development, so I need to work, but I spend so much time at work I feel it takes away from my time with you.

I have been reading about reward circuits in the brain and the development of habits. One of the things I have been pondering is the relationship between electronic devices and our habits. WHen I was growing up we got lectures on the dangers of music, rock and roll, drugs and Television. I heard about how classical music is good for the brain and how it helps plants grow etc, I also heard how too much TV made us dumb. I remember my dad getting mad at us and yelling and unplugging the tv for 6 years. I also remember going to the Church to watch BYU play on the satellite, back then you couldn't watch college football without a satellite.

And now I feel like I am my dad, but with iPads. we didn't let eli play on ipads or computers until he went to school and had computer assignments, he came home crying that he didn't know how to use them, so we have been letting you play with them. Im frankly impressed at how easy it is for yall to figure this stuff out. Tessa especially, that kid cracks me up.

Im sure there is a fine line between too much and knowing enough for education. But what I have learned is that it can program your dopamine receptors and lead to mood instability when not on the device, This is leading to a nation wide depression/anxiety and difficulty with work flow. Some people are so crippled they cant do anything else.

I'm really proud of you kids and your ability to read and play and how smart you are, but I think yall are on there a bit too much.

Heres my question: ipads are your generation, TV was my generation, What was my dad's generation, and what about grandparents? Im assuming parents have always fussed at kids, or made them work. Maybe We should force you into work.

anyway, I love you kids, Im super proud of how smart you are.

Whitney