Last Updated on March 20, 2018
As I saw them enter the restaurant and take their seats I thought, Oh, how sweet. A mother taking her young son out on a lunch date!
A few moments later I glanced over at the table and his mouth was agape, his eyes were glazed over and affixed to a six-by-four-inch screen as he fidgeted with his hand-held gaming system. He was totally oblivious to his environment … and his mother.
I thought, C’mon mom, do something about this right now. Well, she did. She picked up her cell phone and started texting away to someone, probably someone she was too busy to actually spend any time with. Interesting to me that she could give her texting attention to someone not worth her time, so she could “spend time with” her son, whom she was not really spending any time with. Did you get that?
Epic fail. (Epic fail is teen language for “that was stupid, unintelligent, pointless.”)
This is not the first time I have written about children attached to electronic devices instead of engaging in what’s going on in the world around them. (Nor is it the first time I have written about epic fail.)
But now things have gotten worse.
Sadness of all sadness-es. Instead of this mother redirecting her son to do the right thing—which would be suggesting that he put his electronic device away and pay attention to her—she joined him in his quest into electronic bonding (or bondage) and picked up her cell phone and started texting.
Where’s the lunch date in that? We have to teach our children better than that.
Just this weekend a grandmother asked me what she was to do when her teenage grandson spent their whole visit together with his cell phone in his hand only glancing up at her in between “clicks.” I suggested she instigate a no cell phone rule when he’s with her. (I know the request will be respected, it has been for my parents.)
Really, when God designed relationships I’m guessing He was not counting text messaging and electronic friends as part of the equation. Strive for eyeball to eyeball contact and teach your children to respect time spent with others and help them understand the true meaning of quality time!
Tracey Eyster is the Founder of MomLife Today and the annual Mom Camp event. Her book Be The Mom, LifeWay Bible Study Beautiful Mess and speaking engagements have allowed her the privilege of speaking into the lives of women sharing what God is teaching her. “Be intentional. Be relational. Be selfless.” In a nutshell, that’s her life and message. Tracey has been a mom since 1993 and she and Bill have been married for over 30 years.