Youth and technology

I witnessed my two year old cousin pickup a cell phone today and say that she was texting. Yes it may seem that I spend a lot of time on the Internet writing this blog, uploading videos and constantly checking Facebook on my iPhone, however I grew up using my imagination outside playing with sticks and rocks.

Are children still being as imaginative and creative as we had to be? Do we have to prepare them to use today's technology at a young age? Have we made our youth lazy and less intelligent by allowing them to have instant access to games, information and answers to their questions?

I am very happy to have these items at my finger tips, however I do know how to use a dictionary, encyclopedia and a card catalog. Should we still be teaching our children how to use these items?

I don't disagree with young people having a cell phone. It is nice to be able to instantly contact your child if need be and to check on them, but do they need the Internet? Am I just from a different era where things were way different or am I over reacting?

Should I just accept that things are different now and it is easier for our children than it was for us or do we need to keep their imaginations alive by taking away the smartphones and computers? What if all of our satellites were destroyed right now? Would you know how to survive without an Internet connection?