A Kids Book About: Technology - Part 2: Read Along Page

[MUSIC PLAYING] Today, we're going to read my book, A Kids Book about Technology, so here we go. "A Kids Book about Technology. Dedicated to my mom and dad and backyard tree. This is a kids book about technology. But this book isn't about-- how playing video games is bad, or how to keep you safe online, or why you should spend less time on your phone, or how to use a computer, or even how to build a computer! No, this book is about how we feel when we use technology. But before we can understand that, we need to know-- what is technology? Sometimes we think technology is just computers, but it's actually EVERYTHING around you! From a seed, to a tree, to a pair of glasses, to the book that you're reading right now! A lot of technology works like a tool that allows us to do something useful or fun-- like a hammer or a phone. They're both tools. But while technology is meant to help you, different kinds of technology can affect us differently. Especially newer technology, like computers, cell phones, and other devices. That's what we're going to be focusing on today. You see, I grew up in a home filled with technology, so I know a lot about this stuff. You could even say it's part of my genetic code. My family members built computers, synthesizers, microphones, and speakers. My aunt even made trailers for Hollywood movies. My grandfather was even one of the first people to help build the internet-- the internet. So I grew up building, making, creating, and learning with all kinds of technology. I played outside with the first technology-- nature, trees, sticks. With the technology of the notebook, I would write and draw and make my own worlds. Then I got my first computer and took my exploring indoors. To be honest, I love technology! But sometimes it can be lonely. That's the thing about technology. Sometimes you use it by yourself. Even when you're chatting, talking, or playing with someone else, you can still feel alone. Sometimes I would look at what others did online and felt like I wasn't smart enough. Sometimes I saw other people playing, and I felt left out. But other times I would use technology to learn new things and make new friends. That's the thing with technology. It can feel different depending on how we use it. Sometimes we use it for fun and to create. Sometimes we browse through the web, even though we know we should be doing something else. Sometimes we use it to escape. Sometimes we use it to connect. Sometimes we use it because we don't feel like there's anything better to do. Sometimes when we use technology, we don't know when to stop. Technology isn't good or bad. What makes it good or bad is how and when we use it and what we use it for. Even though the connected technology we use every day is made up of glass, metal, wires, and transistors, we can get out of balance in how we use it in our lives, and being out of balance affects our bodies and how we feel. Swipe up for an example! Have you ever lost track of time when staring at a screen? You were doing something and then realize, all of a sudden, that you've been staring at your devices for so long, your body has frozen up. You eventually realize-- 3 notifications. You're hungry. You're late for something. You're tired. Technology can sometimes be so consuming that we forget all about our bodies! But your body is a very special thing. Your body has needs. Your body needs to eat food. Your body needs to move. Your body needs a hug. And your body needs to have fun. No matter how hungry you are, your phone can't feed you a meal, or give you a hug, or make you truly happy. Our devices and technology seem like they're giving us those things, but in reality, they're not. They're just substitutes for the real thing. No matter how much time you spend sitting with technology, it won't give your body what it needs to stay strong. Your body still needs to walk around to keep working. This doesn't make technology bad. We just need to be careful about how we use it. How we use our technology is connected to how we spend our time. Do you ever think about time? The Greeks thought about time a lot. The Greeks thought about it SO MUCH that they actually had multiple words for it. I want to teach you those words. The first word is CHRONOS! Chronos time is when you have something you need to do, like when you have a doctor's appointment or the time you need to be in class. When you spend this kind of time, you might feel tired afterwards, but you also might feel productive and accomplished. The second word is KAIROS! Kairos time is quality time. When you spend this kind of time, you might feel refreshed and inspired. Kairos time is going for a walk, drawing, or showing something we made for our parents or loved ones. Special ability unlocked! Ancient Greek-- level 1. Sometimes we have to spend Chronos time doing chores or homework. When we complete them, we feel better afterwards, but it can be hard to do! Kairos time is the time we want to experience. Sometimes we might feel guilty when we use our Kairos time, so it's hard to remember to enjoy it! You might feel like there is too much to do, or it's easier to spend time on your devices. But we all need Kairos time. Because Kairos time is human time, and we all need that! Kairos time allows us to dream and imagine. It reminds us that we're alive. 1 reminder-- You're alive! But sometimes we get stuck in looping time. Sometimes we're upset about what someone said online, and we can't stop thinking about it. Or we sit still too long, and our body hurts. Or we stare at our screens for hours, and our minds feel hazy and tired. You might be wondering, how do we get out of times like this? Times when we aren't feeling so great or we forget we have a body. Here's the secret-- are you ready? You wiggle! That's right. You get up and shake, and you wiggle until you giggle. Go ahead, try it! I can wait. Do you notice anything different about a freshly wiggled body? Something about moving, bouncing around, and feeling your body go back and forth jump-starts you into Kairos time. It puts you back into the here and now. It's like the ultimate reset button! When you do it, you're back to choosing how you want to spend your time. Special ability unlocked! Wiggletastic Moves-- level 2. So instead of feeling stuck watching videos for 4 hours, you can choose to just watch one or two, and then invent a whole world in your notebook, or spend time on a walk exploring your neighborhood, looking at new buildings and plants. Special ability unlocked! Advanced Mindfulness. Not all time spent on technology is Chronos time, and sometimes Kairos time involves different kinds of technology, like trees! Remember, technology isn't all bad! But we need to remember to feed our bodies as much as we feed our minds. So the next time with feeling stuck, tired, or just out of our bodies and want to change it, remember there are many ways we can feed our bodies, not just with food, but with taking deep breaths-- [BREATHES DEEPLY] with fresh air, with movement, and with big hugs!" The end.