Editing Antonella

Diary Entry- December 20th, 2099

           My name is Paula, and I am a working mom with my children. I am directly involved with the new education system in New Toronto. We moved to New Toronto at the start of the year and are coming to the end of our one year here. I'm not really sure where to begin…. This new world is moving much faster than I can keep up. I feel like I'm falling behind in this new lifestyle of AI. I look at my children; they're growing up in a world so unfamiliar that it terrifies me. 

            My children have always been curious and the type to ask questions. The questions they ask now are not the same questions I asked at their age. They don't ask about the leaves, why they change colour, or why the moon is full on specific days instead of all the time. Their questions are about the latest updates on their virtual classrooms or digital tutors. I've been told that technology is supposed to make things easier for us. Sometimes, I can't shake this feeling that technology is pulling my children's father away from the world I knew. Not just the world I knew but the kind of world I imagined my kids growing up in.

            My kids have been attending their new school for a year now. In the beginning, I was excited that the idea of a virtual school even existed and that it could adapt to the children's needs, personalized learning, and endless hours of sitting inside a classroom. Being outside will help my children connect more with learning instead of always being inside. Now that we're coming to the end of our year, something has been lost. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but watching my kids on their devices all day worries me. I worry about there being no room for mistakes in this kind of world, no room to fail and pick yourself back up again.

            Is this the future I want for my kids? There are days when AI teaches them everything about them, but at times it feels like they know them too much. There's always this constant pressure to perform; there's no break from the screen or holograms. It's not just the academic aspect; it's the social pressures they feel. My kids always compare themselves to their peers, and it can be overwhelming. My son Lucas told me the other day that one of his peers was doing much better for him. How can I explain to both my kids that not everything should be measured when all my kids have ever known is the pursuit of perfection? 

I also feel a sense of guilt. My job at the environmental research centre takes up much of my time. My work is crucial with the change in weather due to global warming. I should be spending time with my kids, I should be guiding them through these changes. My work requires all of me and is very demanding. What kind of future will my kids be heading into? Recent talks have been about new biotech farms on New Toronto's outskirts. They're in development right now on new ways to grow food. What happens when that technology isn't enough?

I tried having this conversation with my husband Antonio. Like me, he is focused on his work as well; he usually works long hours, so it's sometimes harder to have these conversations of fear and anxiety. I do what I can to help my children; we attend parent-teacher views over the virtual channels; I also do daily check-ins with their digital journals and listen to them talk about their day in their virtual classroom. Sometimes, I feel like we're worlds apart; they're just so different from how I was at their age. We had time to play, make mistakes, and be kids back then.

            Sometimes, it's my generation's fault, while other times, it was always meant to go this way. The world is constantly changing, and it will forever be that way. I know I can't shield them from what's to come and the life we live now, but my hope for them is to think for themselves and see the world with their heart and minds. I hope that one day, they'll understand why I worry and push them to take breaks from their screens. I always remind them of the importance of the real world and connecting with it and how they'll understand that my worry is not about the rejection of technology. 

            I don't know what the future holds for us, but I also don't know if they'll thank me for worrying one day. The worry will always be there. They're my children, and as long as I'm present, I'll continue to fight for whatever pieces of their childhood I can
 
Sincerely
   ''-Paula''