“Children all around us are growing up without strong positive guidance from their parents, who are busy, distracted, absent, or choose to be buddies instead of parents to their children.” I recently read this quote from S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, and found it to be so true. In a world driven by electronics and digital communication, it can be easy to distance one’s self while connecting to the world. How can that be?

Let me provide a personal perspective and a little background. My father worked as a computer operator for Burlington Industries in the 1970’s. As a little boy, I remember visiting his office, which was a big room filled with mainframe computers, tape drives, and key-punch cards. I was mesmerized. I guess that was where my interest in technology began. I didn’t grow up with technology like my children have today. I had a 45 record player, then an 8-track tape deck, and finally, installed a cassette player in my Ford Pinto when I turned 16. My parents did not have the resources for an Atari or a Commodore 64 computer. Technology changed rapidly. In 1994, I logged onto the world wide web, created my first web site and carried a bag (cell) phone in my car for the first time. What was the world like before then? Much simpler.

As a child, on Sunday afternoons, we met at Popaw Hartness’ house and I played with my cousins. In the summers I rode on a Tom’s vending truck with my Popaw Marsh. Our family took trips to the mountains and to visit relatives. Mom and I cooked together and we sat around the dinner table and talked. We played board games and had family devotions. On Saturday’s, I used my $1 allowance to purchase a record from the record store inside of Belk at Eastridge Mall in Gastonia. Life was much simpler.

I have two daughters of my own and they are so technology savvy. They text, constantly, instant message, download music to their iPods, create music and movies on the computer, play Wii, and take thousands of digital pictures. When I have to be away overnight, we often use Skype video conferencing to catch up on the day’s events and say goodnight before bed. Facebook has connected us with old friends and new friends. I use my iPhone to send and receive email, keep up with appointments, make and receive calls, and listen to music. We now have a Facebook and Twitter site for our school system. Technology helps me to communicate more rapidly and stay organized, but it can rule your life if you are not careful. Technology has enriched our lives in many ways, but without some restraint and guidance, I have found it can dominate our time.

I truly believe children are wired differently today. I see how engaged they can be with technology and I am convinced technology is a powerful learning tool if used in the right way. With a great teacher in the classroom, technology can be used to enhance the teaching and learning process. We will continue to invest in technology for our classrooms, and will offer our students opportunities to learn a variety of technologies before they graduate. But, no matter which technologies we choose to use, a quality, caring teacher is the key to a superior education, just like the nurturing parent is the kezy to a healthy, happy home.

My dad passed away and received his “independence” on July 4, 2001. He never had a cell phone or an email address. We never communicated electronically other than over the telephone. I will never forget our conversations, or the one-on-one chats as a father and son. Some were very positive, some were negative, some I did not understand until later in life. I will never forget the expressions on his face, his body language as we talked, or the tone in his voice, all of which are lost with most electronic communication today. I will also remember the last conversations we had on the side of his hospital bed, and the tears we both shed as he gave me good advice for life before he passed.

I encourage every parent to create a balance in their home. Technology can connect us to people around the world. Don’t let your children live in that world alone. Dive in there with them and find out how they communicate, monitor text messages and web sites they visit. Find out what is posted on their Facebook or MySpace page. Move your technology to a common area in the home. Help children balance their lives before they head off to college or into the world of work. Also create balance by limiting technology time and suggesting a great book for them to read, or better yet, read together. Pull those board games out of the top of the closet. Don’t neglect those face-to-face conversations so that they will have something to remember you by, and advice to live by when you are gone. Our children deserve to grow up with strong positive guidance. Analog parent, get back to your roots, put down that remote, and tune in to your children, they need your attention!

Dr. Darrin Hartness serves the Mount Airy City Schools as superintendent.