I received an email recently from a parent who was very concerned about their eleven-year-old son.  The mother couldn’t understand why her child wasn’t sleeping.  He was cranky and irritable, snappish with his younger siblings, and withdrawn. 

I asked her to tell me about her son’s activities, what he does throughout the course of the day.  His schedule went something like this: he was supposed to be up at 7 to get dressed and ready for school, but would end up hitting the snooze alarm several times and then being forced to rush through the morning.  He did not eat breakfast, but rather would watch TV or play video games or check his email all while his CD player or radio was blaring in the background.  He would be pushed out the door just in time to make the bus (while wearing his headphones).  When he arrived home in the afternoon, all of the appliances in his room would be turned on; radio, TV, computer, etc., and would remain on throughout the evening.  He never left the room except for dinner, during which he would sit sullenly, anxious to get back to his electronics.  The TV would remain on through the night, and he would fall asleep in front of it only to wake up at 7 to the beeping alarm and the background noise of the television.

WOW.  No wonder the kid is tired and cranky!  Electronics and technology are a wonderful thing for our children to experience, but can you say overload??  This is crazy!  Electronics sap our natural energy; as anyone who sits in front of a computer all day can tell you.  They take away our desire for interaction with other human beings, and replace our natural inclination to reach out to others.

One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a bedroom that is a restful haven from the world.  I know that it seems hip and cool right now to fill their spaces with the latest in computer technology, but at what cost?  Children need interaction with family and friends, and how many times have your children had friends over and just sat in front of the TV or played video games?  That is NOT interaction!  Children need a space to be quiet, to read, and to go inward.

Technology and electronics certainly have their place in today’s modern world, but a child’s bedroom is not the best space.  A living room or den that is centrally located for the whole family is the best place for the computer, TV, stereo equipment.  This will not only allow the children to be WITH you while they are experiencing the technology, but will also give you the opportunity to see what they are doing and to guide them to use it wisely. 

Feng shui is not just about color and placement, but about function and livability, and I have found that living with technology can be a blessing or a curse.

Many Blessings!
Lori