Parenting can be a very rewarding job. It can also be a major pain the butt.
British couple Fiona and James Daly went on ITV’s This Morning to talk about the negative effects technology has on children.
The Dalys claim that their son, Joe has become violent as a result of playing his XBox. Though they have put a time limit on the gaming system, they told the co-hosts, "With Joe, if he hasn’t had the Xbox if he’s been naughty, he won’t sleep at night as his brain is not stimulated enough."
The parents notice that Joe gets very, very angry if he loses a game, but their attempts at getting him involved in outdoor sports have failed.
"I try to get him involved at gym and football," Fiona explained.
"You notice a difference with his schoolwork and behaviour. He’s a different kid. Kids need to remember it is just a game.
"When he was to lose, that’s when the temper would come,’ she continued.
"He was never aggressive to us but he had a brand new telly for Christmas and because of his temper, he put his fist through the telly and the bedroom wall."
Fiona and James represent a percentage of parents in the country who have witnessed their children’s growing addiction to technology, be it a smart phone, Xbox or otherwise.
Several viewers disagreed with Fiona and James’ technique, and essentially blamed Joe’s problems on "lazy parenting," and had no problem criticizing the couple on social media.
"it’s the parents fault not limiting time in the first place," one viewer tweeted.
"be a parent, teach your kids boundaries!" another chimed in.
Everyone’s an expert, it appears
"Take your kid out for a walk, make crafts together, build a den, bake a cake… it’s not difficult love," yet another viewer advised.
And finally, the woman who’s children are doing age-appropriate, parent-approved projects.
"My kids aged 5,7,8 don’t get the chance to dev a #techaddiction They’re busy doing age appropriate activities!"
Should these people be criticizing Fiona and James so harshly? Or do they have a point? Watch the video below and let us know.