Digital nation - life on the virtual frontier

My husband and I watched this fantastic PBS Frontline ducumentary last night on the effects of growing up and living with all the technology available to us today.

http://tinyurl.com/ajqntn

The digital age is here and there are cool tools that we all use to some degree or another in our lives today.  I found myself disturbed after the documentary though.  Our children need to grow up savvy about technology if they are to be prepared for the new digital age world, however I think it's up to us, the parents and educators, to teach them about balance.  Balance so our children can know themselves in the real world, a world with real people and real nature.  

The documentary showed us, amongst many other things, how some MIT students, bright kids to say the least, were far less efficient in any given task due to all the multi-tasking they were involved in.  Attention is being lost.  So how do we help our children in this sort of environment where their peers are wired and technology is essential to function and "keep up"?

I would again point to balance.  Something to balance out the constant stimulation with peaceful moments.  The most evident and naturally calming method is to go outside.  Go outside, breathe deeply, move or simply sit and attentively watch a bird, a tree swaying in the wind or the clouds...  Take the time, go with them, show them the way, you will all benefit.

Our kids will face many challenges in their lives, it's important to teach them early on about calming coping methods that will benifit them always.