Most parents have probably had occasion, time and reason to ponder over the affinity and comfort their children exhibit with respect to gaming consoles, laptops, and various other electronic and multimedia devices. Inherent to the frequent use of these devices – be it a computer connected to the internet, or a gaming device using a game cartridge – is the rapid consumption of and reaction to multi-faceted information. More often than not, children demonstrate a keen interest in doing this concurrently with various devices or performing various tasks within a single device (”multi-tasking”). Furthermore, most of their activity in this realm assumes a collaborative nature involving several individuals.

Set aside the customary and preliminary parental reactions of surprise, concern, irritation and bemusement and you will find that children born between 1990 and 2000 are ruthlessly exploiting the absolute pervasiveness of sources of multi-media sensory input. In the process, they have raised the bar dramatically on dealing with a deluge of free information, and bringing it to bear on day to day life. Disconcertingly so, for the baby boomer generation, they tend to do it with more innovation and alacrity than the older generation and exhibit a relatively high level of techno-sangfroid. These skills continue to be developed through school and college years and culminate in these raw processing and analytical skills finding application in traditional instruction in a college environment, often with significant impact – so say candid and open-minded employers. Ironically, the development of these skills probably peters out with the entry to a workforce where the hitherto untrammeled tinkering with devices and gadgets gives way to a more staid and programmed existence (with a few lucky exceptions).

Moral of the story – don’t fret about your child spending an inordinate amount of time with devices that did not light up your formative years.

Find additional ballast for this argument and point-of-view in Don Tapscott’s book “Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation Is Changing Your World”, which has been reviewed by LA Times (see attached link).

Click here to buy “Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation Is Changing Your World”.