Technology and Family

In our generation today where technology is changing rapidly, the people's way of life goes with it and so our preferences in many things. These changes are in a way affects the basic unit of society, the family. But the question is, how good or bad the effect is?

Let us looked back in the past, wherein the mother's task is to just keep the household's welfare while the father is to provide the financial needs of the family. The life then is simple and uncomplicated because the people is contented in what they have. And the income is distributed only to the basic needs of the family. The necessities of the past generation comprises only of just the basic things which are foods, clothing, shelter and education. Relationship in those days is harmonious because each family member understands their functions very well. Children's needs (could it be emotionally, spiritually or physically) are immediately being attended as the mother is within reach. In addition, the mother is actively involved in her children's daily activities which exhibits good trait to them.

Whereas, in the present generation, the mother and the father have to work hard to sustain the family. Since technology has a huge part in everyone's life today, it eats up most of the revenue of one family. These include cell phones, IPods, computers/laptops, PlayStations, DVD players, Internet and cable connections to name a few. Aside from these, the simple weekend family gathering at home was replaced by hanging out in the mall and dining out in a fancy restaurant. From these scenarios, it's not surprising that both parents should be working because the regular income of the father alone is not sufficient for his family’s lifestyle. The children are left to nannies by whose truly need are often neglected by the busy working parents.

The absence of both parents especially the mother during the formative years and adolescence stage of children is really quite disturbing. It’s deleterious not only to wife-husband relationship but also to parents-children relationship which are all necessary to have a happy family life.

I’m neither in the sides of con nor pro of being a working mother. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong for being a working mother. I am just presenting the family in relation to what we have in our present generation -- the fast-changing technology.

I infer that the fast-changing technology we have today is a sign of the coming “end of times” as it was foretold in the book of Daniel which tells us that knowledge will increase in the end of times and the term “knowledge” speaks of what we can call “science and technology”. Please read the verse below:

Daniel 12:4 (KJV):

“…even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”


And because it was predicted that the advancement of technology will take place, let us not forget prioritizing our family as we are now living with these changes. The obligation of every parent is to train our children to know and serve the Lord. Let us refer to the book of Proverb, which says:

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV):
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”