How Has the Internet Changed Family Life?

A typical home life of the 21st Century has changed greatly, thanks to the internet. People argue that there was more interaction between the family members before the widespread and ready availability of the internet. They go on to say, that families did a lot more things together. On a typical weekend, every one would sit down to a great breakfast that mom would prepare. And, there would be a lot of conversation, and interaction between members during the breakfast.

After breakfast, the whole family would most probably sit down for a fun filled session of cartoons and casual talk on Saturday mornings. Mom and dad would usually plan a great outing for the rest of the day. And, the family would either dine in a restaurant, or mom would do the cooking at the end of the activity filled day. Moreover, Saturday would typically be a movie-night, so the family would again get together, and enjoy a movie with some popcorn.

However, since the internet has come into being, and started being used widely, family life has changed dramatically.

A typical four member family spends an entirely different weekend. Every one in the house has their own personal computer. Mom and dad, as well as the children. Everyone gets up in the morning, and the first thing they do is, power on the computer. Mom and dad grab a cup of coffee and spend the morning browsing the internet, while the children get a bowl of cereal and indulge in online chat sessions, or gaming. While older teens, would either finish off their homework assignments early, and then spend the rest of the day with their personal projects, or research work, etc.

A typical child no longer indulges in physical activity, and fun outdoor games with other children. Rather, they spend most of their time surfing the internet.

There's no more family or official lunch times. The members of the family just get themselves a quick snack whenever they are hungry, and occasionally might meet each other on their way back to their rooms.

This new lifestyle results in the breakdown of the 'family unit' which is a very essential bond that a family shares as a whole. But now, interaction between family members is rare, and communication between them has totally broken down. They all live in their own virtual world.

With all of these changes, most people feel that it is now vital for each member of the family to spend some quality time with the rest. This can actually help to keep the family bond, and not alienate the members from each other. Maybe one night of the week, the family should socialize, and then probably have dinner together. Or they could also go back to having the traditional breakfast, and speak to each other more.

Communication and interaction, within the family is essential. Whatever way a family chooses, it should allow for enough time to maintain a healthy relationship within the family.