As our world changes, our society evolves, and our technology advances, we begin to see a great divide between the values and daily activities of the average person now compared to that of a person growing up just a couple of decades ago. The goal or function of a lot of today’s technology is to make life easier for the person using it. And we have seen incredible advancements and development in our society, as well as in important fields such as science and medicine, as a result of the efficiency and convenience that technology provides. But many people feel that these advancements are coming at high costs.
The high costs of advanced technology
One of the biggest factors that many people have noticed changing as technology changes is our health. Yes, science and medicine continue to advance, and there are aspects of our health that are vastly improved as a result. But the deep integration of technology into our everyday lives, almost to the point of technology being imbedded into our every action, or nearly so, gives some people pause, and rightly so. So many people today are completely disconnected from nature and what others might say it means to be human, at least emotionally or intellectually speaking. Today’s children spend over than seven and a half hours each and every single day in front of one type of a screen or another, whether it is by way of television, video games, or a computer, smart phone or tablet.
Striking the right balance
There is essentially no avoiding technology in today’s day and age, nor is there a real necessity to do so. Technology is definitely not a bad thing. However there should certainly be a balance of the time spent in front of a screen and the time spent on social interaction, exercise, and out in nature. This is true for everyone, but particularly so for children, as the lack of that balance can negatively impact their development. It has been estimated that just one in every three of today’s children are physically active on a daily basis. Meanwhile the United States Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that kids between the ages of six and 17 years old should be getting at least one hour of exercise or physical activity of some sort each and every day. This can be difficult to do while staring down at a smart phone, but then again, do kids that young really need a smart phone already?
How local gymnastics classes could turn things around
There are plenty of ways to encourage children to be active, but probably the best way is to provide an example for them. Local gymnastics classes could provide a good physical outlet for both children and adults, as could dance lessons, or sports leagues that have several different age brackets, or local nature hikes that the whole family could participate in. When you look into local gymnastics classes, or whichever activity you decide on, check to see what all is offered. Many times adult gymnastic classes are available for every skill level, whether you are a beginner hoping to reclaim a bit of your youth or you are hoping to pick up on skills that you began to develop in your younger years. Checking into available lessons at a local gymnastics and dance academy can at least open up the process of deciding on activities that will bring more movement to your day.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you are signing up for local gymnastics classes, heading out into the woods for a nature hike, or dancing your very own brand of choreography to your favorite music. Getting on your feet, and away from a screen, and encouraging your family to do so as well, is an important first step to achieving overall good health.