I have a confession to make. I love my cellphone. No I take that back. I really don’t. I like my cellphone. I love my family. And I love the convenience of being able to text my children, rather than yell across the house. Does that make me remarkably lazy to not want to get up and walk across my 2500 square foot house to summon my children? So be it.
However I HATE that we are always on said phones and/or our tablets. Yes, at times, my sweetie and I must be included too. I get that it is how they (older kids) communicate with their friends. My husband and I talked last night about how it is the way we use to talk on the phone to our friends. But something tells me it isn’t the same. It is different. And as terribly convenient and versatile as todays phones are, they are most assuredly a blessing and a curse.
So draconian parents that we are, we have set a new rule, effective today. No cellphones in the bedroom. GASP! That is right. Cell phones must stay in the living room at all times unless you have permission to take them elsewhere. Kind of gives a new meaning to the word “roaming”, n’est-ce pas? We got some dirty looks this morning but I dare say they will get over it and be better people in the end. If not, I’m willing to assume responsibility.
I read on a blog once, Jen Hatmaker, I believe, (LOVE HER) that we should be with the ones we are with. She has a cell phone bowl by the door and people check in their phones as they enter. Above the bowl she has said quote, “Be with the ones you are with” My kids are so sick of me saying this. Aside from ending in a preposition, it has snap to it. I like it. No, I LOVE it. How can technology in America be so advanced and yet have gone so awry at the same time? Have we lost our minds? I plead the fifth.
If I make my kids pick up the phone and call someone, they act like I have lost my mind! “But what if I interrupt them?” (like a text doesn’t) “What if they can’t talk?” (but they can text?) and my personal favorite,”It’s just so much easier to text!” REALLY? I can see if it’s just a sentence or two but beyond that I lose all patience. It really came to a head when my 17 yo shared with me one of the latest apps he’s discovered that allows you to “voice” text. Sounded great! I never did get over the loss of my keyboard when I switched phones. Wouldn’t it be great to not have to type all those words out? I was pleased as punch til my ever so down to earth, common-sensical husband pointed out–isn’t that just like talking on the phone? I know. We are hopelessly old-fashioned.
What about relationships? Can they really be had, truly in depth, without face to face or at least voice to voice communication? I would much rather my daughter arrange a play date (or whatever she prefers to call it now that the is a young adult) with her friends that spend hours texting them. Especially when she is running errands with me. I sometimes feel invisible and that makes me grumpy. We Americans don’t even know our neighbors by and large because we drive into our garages and walk through the adjoining door without having to interact with anyone! Except hopefully our family. But then how many times have I looked up to find that all of us are decidedly “lost” in our own electronic worlds. Even the little one??? This is not what I had in mind for family togetherness. Lord have mercy on us. Seriously.
So while you will find me curled up in bed with my phone late nights, poring over Dickens or Austen or another beloved author, you will not find me posting blogs from my phone or creating lists on my phone or cleaning my house with my phone (ok perhaps a slight exaggeration). And be forewarned that very often I do not answer texts til hours later. I’m not ignoring you. I just am busy with my wonderful family. Living in the moment. Endeavoring to enjoy every short moment I have with the four most important people in my world. In person and face to face.
In fact, I might just re-learn to walk across the house or out the front door to yell for my kids to come eat dinner. Who couldn’t use just a little bit more exercise?
Decidedly Different 