Describing his experiences in the First World War, he wrote, “Frankly I had enjoyed the war.”

Ruby Bridges is known for being the first black child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South, after the Brown v Board of Education case.

In his teens, Hungarian Jew Tibor Rubin survived a Nazi concentration camp and was liberated by Americans at Mauthausen. Upon coming to America after the war, he joined the military during the Korean War as a thank-you to the soldiers who liberated him. During his time in a Chinese prison camp during the war, for over two years, he sneaked out of his prison barracks to steal food, sharing it among his comrades, and is credited with saving over 40 of his fellow soldiers.

Lizzie Velasquez, dubbed as “The Worlds Ugliest Woman” by a group of bullies, has a rare, untitled medical condition only two other people in the world have – she is unable to gain weight. Despite this, she continues to be a motivational speaker and has recently created a documentary about her life.

Despite being very incredible, these are all generally little-known people. What do these four incredible people have in common? I learned about them – and many more just like them – from Pinterest.

Teen’s, Social Media and Technology

When you hear stories of social media or technology, with parenting, technology is often perceived as negative and bad.

They could be sexting. They could be looking at inappropriate pictures. They could be planning to meet up with someone. And in reality, they could be, and parents should be aware of these dangers and dangerous apps like Snapchat, Tinder, and so-called “anonymous” apps like Whisper or Yik Yak.

In the midst of all this, I think we forget about the positives of social media and technology.

I believe in teaching discernment. This is how I was raised, and I will most likely raise my children this way. If your kids obey you, only to disobey once they’re free from your rules, what have you truly accomplished?

For one, I am a Pinterest guru. Of course, too much Pinterest is unhealthy. It can be addicting, a source of procrastination, and I know some women (women, not teen girls) who don’t like it because it can breed jealousy, especially in the ‘Mommy wars’.

However, I am a visual person. If I can see a picture, I’m more likely to remember it than when I read something.

Pinterest is so much more than just cute crafts and hairstyles, although it is great for both. I have a board dedicated to WWII posters and ads, which in itself can teach a person more about WWII than a textbook ever could.

I have a board dedicated to the Holocaust, filled with portraits of those who survived the Holocaust, died during the Holocaust, or rescued Jews during the Holocaust. Each face has a story in the pin caption, and some pins I have came across so many times I can recite you the caption by heart.

More often than not, when I read about a totally awesome person, it leads me to more research, which leads me to books and articles on the subject. On the modern, practical side of things, I have learned so many household tricks; how to use baking soda, how to cloth diaper, how to buy cheap college textbooks, and just good general advice.

Technology is the future. The job market is wide open for app developers, program developers, engineers and otherwise tech gurus. Technology also isn’t just about materialistic TVs, video games, and the latest Apple product; it’s changing lives.

3D printers are helping create cheaper prosthetics, specifically for kids. Electronic banking has changed the way I live – it’s how I make money without leaving my home. The Internet itself has been a wealth of information, has reunited long-lost families, and has allowed many women to stay at home with their kids and still earn an income.

I don’t believe in throwing the baby out with the bath water. (Pinterest also taught me the origin of that saying!) I believe sheltering kids too much from technology and completely banning anything electronic, or thinking all electronics are bad and time-wasters, will do them a great injustice in the future.

This isn’t to say I believe in playing Candy Crush (which I’ve never played in my life) for hours on end. However, when it comes to being innovative with technology, I encourage it!

Got a gamer? Get him interested in coding or computer animation. A computer-obsessed girl? Get her selling stuff on Amazon or eBay. A lover of social media? Follow history and news accounts. Get them interested in something! You’ll be surprised with what happens when a teen takes on an innovative passion.

Technology is becoming part of our everyday lives. Every day, we must learn how to use it properly; without letting it take over our lives. When used wisely and properly, social media and technology can not only be a fun pastime, but it can be a vast source of information.

The post Why I Love Social Media and Technology – a teen’s perspective first appeared on True Aim.