It's the end of an era, folks. Say goodbye to the days of gazing at the Barbie Dream House you've always wanted and the Hot Wheels racetrack you've been eyeing. On Tuesday, the famous toy store, Toys 'R' Us, announced they were filing for bankruptcy protection due to competition in the market combined with the massive amount of debt the company currently has. This news was especially heartbreaking to me because it made me reminisce on the days of riding the store's bikes up and down the aisles, annoying sales customers I'm sure. As a child, going to Toys 'R' Us was my dream. It was the promised land for kids, and we could have spent hours on hours in there if we were lucky enough to do so. So, when I heard this news, I couldn't help but think that somehow, our advances in technology have helped promote this motion for bankruptcy.

In today's times, we constantly surround ourselves with technology. I mean, I'm writing this article on a computer, and you're probably reading it on one. Technology has become a staple in order to be successful in the game of of life. When I was younger, all I wanted to do was play board games or brush my dolls' hair. Now all children want to do is play on their tablets or watch a show on their HD TV instead of getting outside and playing. I'm not saying that tablets or using technology with your kids is a bad thing by any means, but what happened to the good old days of using your imagination and making a game out of almost anything?

If we didn't teach our children to rely so heavily on technology, then maybe Toys-R-Us would still have a fighting chance at being a successful company. I can honestly say that today's kids are so in tune with technology that adults use which is an incredible thing, but as a society, we should probably promote still being a kid. I know that when I have kids one day (in the far, far future), I will want them to use their imagination, go outside, encourage them to ride bikes and play tag, and let them know that going to a toy store is something that should be exciting and something to appreciate. Toys 'R' Us, thank you for being there for me during my childhood. I'm sorry that it came to this.