From cancelled television shows to old toys, who doesn't love a good throwback? Recently the hashtag, #TodaysKidsWillNeverKnow, has been trending on Twitter. This definitely brought back a lot of old memories as people from all over the world share what they were fond of as a child, and note that the kids of the current generation won't get to have the same experiences.
Correspondingly, Nature Valley posted a YouTube video featuring three generations of families to inquire what they did for fun as a kid. The older generations in the video all shared similar memories of outdoor activities. On the other hand, the children featured in the video only speak of memories involving computers, video games, and cell phones.
The children say, and I quote:
"I forget I'm in a house, I have parents, I have a sister, I have a dog. I just think I'm in the video game, I completely get lost."
"I would die if I didn't have my tablet."
"Whenever I feel upset, I play video games and I feel normal. It's really wonderful."
In an ever-changing world, forms of entertainment have adapted to the increase of technology in present day society. Today's children however are missing out on so much more than Myspace and Kodak cameras. In a world now full of Instagram and iPads, kids honestly don't know how to truly have fun and connect with nature.
While the tweets involving #TodaysKidsWillNeverKnow highlight memories such as specific Disney Channel Original Movies, popular board games, or flip phones, I believe there are more important life events that today's children are missing out on.
Today's kids will never know how to make memories without posting a picture.
Today's kids will never know the joy of running over to your neighbor's house to see if they can play.
Today's kids will never know how to be creative without editing software.
Today's kids will never know the summer days spent playing kickball in the backyard until it was too dark to see the ball.
Today's kids will never know that happiness can be found outside of a video game.
Today's kids will never know the struggle of looking up phone numbers in a thick phone book.
Today's kids will never know how to communicate without emojis.
Today's kids will never know how to share their thoughts in more than 140 characters.
Today's kids will never know that real connections can be made without an internet connection.
Today's kids will never know how to sincerely enjoy nature.
I admit, technology does make life easier and it's not difficult to become addicted. We as a society, however, are disregarding the true beauty of nature, with #NoFilter. Text messages and Snapchat stories are taking our eyes off of what is really important in life. Oftentimes we need a reminder to turn off the phone and enjoy a beautiful sunset.
