I hadn’t made the connection between the way people silence their kids with devices and “children should be seen and not heard” prior to reading your article, but WOW…now I can’t unsee it. I was at Costco a couple of weeks ago and saw a mom hand her 18 month old a phone to watch while they were in the checkout line. This baby wasn’t crying, fussing, or anything—she was literally waving at the other patrons in line and being cute. But her mom looked at the people behind her in line and said, “the phone is the only thing that calms her down” and handed it to the baby. I was flummoxed. It was almost as if the mom didn’t know how to interact with her child without the phone, which is even sadder than using it as a pacifier.
I took a break from Facebook two months ago and found I was much calmer and more optimistic. Dr. Amen (a brain science guy on YouTube) explained that the dopamine buzz from the phones and media wears out a "pleasure centers" and makes as feel down and low vitality. Hmmm, what are we doing to our children? Thanks for a good post.
Thank you Sheila I’m glad you liked it. I definitely notice an improvement when I reduce screen time, and I’m not even a particularly heavy user. But it’s so hard to keep it up in the 21st century!
Follow up: Today, I went to my grandson's kindergarten class (yes, they don't' homeschool) and I told a story and then read one-both with lots of engagement from the littles. The teacher and aide looked at their phones the entire time!!
No way! I have a real bee in my bonnet at the moment about how it’s become totally normalised for people to use their phones while at work. I see security guards, receptionists, and even a life guard (!!) using their phones when on duty. Teachers in the classroom is a new low.
Devil's advocate, though... if a child had their nose in a book all the way through dinner, with the same effect of being still, entertained, and not engaging with others, would we be equally horrified, or praise them for being a reader? I must admit my first reaction would be less harsh on them and their parents, and I need to examine what that says about my social prejudices.
I remember always being told reading so much would strain my eyes.
My eyesight has only worsened since buying a smart phone. I'm sure there is an increase in the amount of younger children wearing glasses right now.
I sometimes ponder that there was a bit of a backlash from non-readers to a child who read obsessively. A book would never have been allowed at the table. But I wouldn't have wanted to spill gravy on it.
That buggy photo is quite alarming. 😳😔
I know, I was so shocked that such a thing has even been invented!
So deeply sad. 😔
I hadn’t made the connection between the way people silence their kids with devices and “children should be seen and not heard” prior to reading your article, but WOW…now I can’t unsee it. I was at Costco a couple of weeks ago and saw a mom hand her 18 month old a phone to watch while they were in the checkout line. This baby wasn’t crying, fussing, or anything—she was literally waving at the other patrons in line and being cute. But her mom looked at the people behind her in line and said, “the phone is the only thing that calms her down” and handed it to the baby. I was flummoxed. It was almost as if the mom didn’t know how to interact with her child without the phone, which is even sadder than using it as a pacifier.
Oh that is so sad!
I took a break from Facebook two months ago and found I was much calmer and more optimistic. Dr. Amen (a brain science guy on YouTube) explained that the dopamine buzz from the phones and media wears out a "pleasure centers" and makes as feel down and low vitality. Hmmm, what are we doing to our children? Thanks for a good post.
Thank you Sheila I’m glad you liked it. I definitely notice an improvement when I reduce screen time, and I’m not even a particularly heavy user. But it’s so hard to keep it up in the 21st century!
Follow up: Today, I went to my grandson's kindergarten class (yes, they don't' homeschool) and I told a story and then read one-both with lots of engagement from the littles. The teacher and aide looked at their phones the entire time!!
No way! I have a real bee in my bonnet at the moment about how it’s become totally normalised for people to use their phones while at work. I see security guards, receptionists, and even a life guard (!!) using their phones when on duty. Teachers in the classroom is a new low.
That is absolutely shocking Sheila Carroll. How rude. I would have been incensed.
horrifying
Devil's advocate, though... if a child had their nose in a book all the way through dinner, with the same effect of being still, entertained, and not engaging with others, would we be equally horrified, or praise them for being a reader? I must admit my first reaction would be less harsh on them and their parents, and I need to examine what that says about my social prejudices.
I remember always being told reading so much would strain my eyes.
My eyesight has only worsened since buying a smart phone. I'm sure there is an increase in the amount of younger children wearing glasses right now.
I sometimes ponder that there was a bit of a backlash from non-readers to a child who read obsessively. A book would never have been allowed at the table. But I wouldn't have wanted to spill gravy on it.