As I walked onto my bus, I was immediately flabbergasted by what I saw. Sitting in the first row, there were three kindergarteners, all playing with their brand new iPhones.

When my bus driver asked them if they took their parents’ phones to school, the girls immediately answered in unison, “No, I got it for my birthday!”

As I quietly observed them from my seat, I watched them purchase countless applications throughout the ten minute bus ride. Their parents had connected credit card information to the phone, allowing them to buy as many games as they pleased.

I was shocked. Why would parents feel the need to buy their six-year-old child a $600 iPhone and consciously allow their young children access to their credit cards?

Before we even entered the gates of Convent of the Sacred Heart, the girls had already exchanged phone numbers, instagrams, and snapchats.

By this time, I was really concerned. Not only were these children in control of costly and fragile pieces of technology, but also their own social media accounts. With all of the social media scandals in the news, I cannot believe that parents are allowing their six-year-old children to sign up for Instagram and Snapchat. These kids are too young to realize the dangers of putting personal information in cyberspace and are unable to take the safety precautions to ensure they stay protected.

This is not to insult anyone’s parenting skills, but rather to question our apparent societal norms. The use of the technology as a glorified toy demonstrates the lack of appreciation for the dedication and time required to achieve the things we desire. Kids are no longer taught that good things come to those who wait. They are taught that everything they want is at the tips of their fingers.

I honestly feel bad for their generation. Advanced technology is taking over their childhoods. Kids no longer create imaginary games on the playground or run around playing tag, instead they just buy an app. Perhaps their next purchase should be building blocks or Play-doh rather than Candy Crush or Subway Surfer. 

– Kim Smith, Content Editor