Woah, that is a reality check this morning with your cup of coffee. Read the paragraph below that I found while reading the news this morning. That is what we are talking about here. Not only teens, but parents are distracted by their phones (tablets) when their children are trying to interact with them.
“More than half of teens said they often or sometimes find their parents or caregivers to be distracted when the teens are trying to have a conversation with them. The study calls teens’ relationship with their phones at times “hyperconnected” and notes that nearly three-fourths check messages or notifications as soon as they wake up. Parents do the same, but at a lower if still substantial rate — 57 percent.” – AP
What is so important on that phone screen that you cannot put it down and talk with your children?
Let’s face it, most people have nothing important taking place on their phone screen.
They are;
- Playing games
- Surfing the web
- Reading social media.
Look, there is nothing wrong with a little leisure time, but leisure does not mean ignoring your family and making them second fiddle does it?
Leisure does not mean spending hours a day tied to your phone does it?
The Needs Of Our Children
Our children need our time.
If you are a new parent this is extra important for you to understand. The more time you spend with your children, the better and tighter your bond will become with them.
Spending time together does not mean we all sit on the couch and drone out on our phones and tablets “together“.
Spending time together means talking with one another, playing games, dare I say it, go outside and play whatever it is you like to play. Go for a bike ride, a hike, go see something new, go do something together you have never done before and how could I leave out talk about God together. Just open the Bible and read it.
Break out of the norm, just put that phone down.
Give your children, your wife, your husband… Time.
I guarantee you, it will be well worth it.
For the most part, whatever you are doing on that phone screen is a temporary thing. It is a flash, here this moment, gone the next and means nothing to your future overall. Yet, when you invest your time with your family and God it will have a lasting impact on your life and your life together as a family.
Remember that, place value on your time and how you spend it with your family and our Heavenly Father.
If I had any children, and they were anything like the rest of my family (brainwashed ‘good citizens’), then yes… I would.
And the sad thing about that is… I rarely use my phone for anything other than checking the time (or talking to Angel).