Digital technology. The great invention of the late 20th century and now integrated into our daily lives on such a scale that many of us take it for granted. It's a very present in our home. We have the usual things like a laptop, a tablet, a games console, a reading tablet, smartphones and a number of other devices like televisions, digital picture frames and various MP3 players.

We also have two sons, our oldest is six years old and extremely well versed in the various digital devices around the house. While I applaud his ability to use all these devices un-supervised, for a while there I was worried about the frequency and time that he was using these devices. Every day started with a request to play this device or that device. I felt he was becoming too dependent on the devices for entertainment.I've read a number of articles in the past about the current generation of youngsters that have been brought up in an on-demand environment. If they want it, they can have it. And that is very true when it comes to digital devices. Very few things are out of reach with laptop or a tablet. I don't want this way of thinking for my kids. Technology is great, but it also has it's place.

Technology plays an important part in education and in the workplace. I'm not suggesting that technology is bad, but rather it's best used in moderation. While I like him playing Minecraft, I also like to see him play with his Lego. Drawing on the iPad is another activity he does, but I like to see what he can create with his own hands using crayons, pencils and paper.

Kid activities such as playing with toys, drawing, reading and getting him outside are things my wife and I are going to encourage this year with our oldest son. This isn't about restricting access to technology, instead it's about teaching him that technology has it's place and he shouldn't be too dependent on it.

Learning to appreciate technology and when to use it is an important subject to teach children. We shouldn't forget that there's a world for our kids to see with their own eyes rather than seeing it through a browser.