Recently in the news, an incident made headlines when a mother sent home an official itemized bill to the family of a child who missed her child’s party. Apparently, the family failed to notify the hosts that their plans had changed and their son would be missing the party. Granted, there was a lot of miscommunication involved, which spurred this party blunder to go viral. It now is a blame game and neither group is without fault.
This case goes beyond party etiquette, it raises the important topic about ways technology can help us in our daily lives.
Technology sometimes has a bad reputation for leading people down scary paths of sexting, identity theft, and introducing predators into their lives. However, technology can streamline schedules, simplify work and home businesses, coordinate activities, and much more.
Ultimately, technology can offer families a wide array of tools that can prevent blunders like the infamous birthday party snafu.
Here are 10 ways parents can use technology positively:
● Online calendars help coordinate everyone’s schedules and can be accessed by a variety of devices. Google Calendar is a great one to try.
● Cell phones allow families to text updates on activities, practices, and even grocery lists. Do you remember how hard it was to organize schedules without cell phones?
● Teachers are able to use class websites or apps like Class Dojo to keep parents updated about school.
● Busy parents are able to pay bills and bank online. You can conveniently pay the electric bill at 11:30 while watching Jimmy Fallon.
● Doctors are now accepting Skype or using messaging services to chat with parents and patients. This can save a trip to the waiting room full of contagious germs.
● It is easy to check the weather and stay updated on severe or threatening situations. Keeping your family safe has never been easier.
● Monitor a child’s Internet activity with an app. Keep worries at bay and be involved in what your child is viewing, texting, or messaging online.
● Get homework help or locate answers to difficult questions like “what happens to atoms when you cut paper or cloth?” by Googling or seeking educational websites.
● Clean out the family entertainment center and go digital. Use movie or television services that don’t require bulky boxes, movie cases, or tons of cords.
● Forget making scrapbooks with paper and craft scissors. Use online photo sites to store, print, and create photo books.
Remember the bickering party families that are now in a bitter feud over a child’s birthday party?
Both groups could have reached out to each other by using technology. They could have easily located misplaced phone numbers, messaged the host, or sent private emails asking for compensation. The ill feelings and media storm could have easily been solved early on- instead they chose to demand and threaten legal action.
In today’s world, families are pulled in different directions far too often. It is important for parents to seek out ways to enrich bonds and relationships instead of everyone going their separate ways. Technology has the ability to be used to lessen stress and time consuming tasks that steal precious moments away from the family.
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