We recently ran out to grab dinner at a restaurant. When we do this, it's usually pretty chaotic. Crayons go flying, one or two kids crawl under the table, the other two go running around their chairs and there's ALWAYS someone who has to go to the bathroom.
This time, Adam and I looked across the restaurant at a perfect family. There was a mom and dad with their quiet son and daughter sitting in their seats. I shot Adam a look that was both depressed and defeated. Then our four year old spilled her drink.
Cleaning it up, I began to watch the family a little closer and I noticed something. They were all on electronics and they weren't paying attention to each other. The dad was on his cell, the mom had an ipad, the son was playing with a Nintendo DS and the daughter was texting. They brought these things into the restaurant...for dinner.
They didn't look at each other, talk to each other, or really even pay attention to what they were eating.
What was crazier though, was that they weren't alone. So many people were on their cell phones or electronics. As peaceful and quiet as their tables were, it was strange how totally zoned out they seemed to be from each other.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for checking texts or messages and I'm fine with having the kids play games. When the connection to electronics leaves us disconnected as human beings though, that's when there's a problem.
It made me come up with a little check list that I've been guilty of and/or that drives me crazy about other people.
1. When you're in your car at a light and it turns green but you don't realize it until the five cars behind you start honking...put it down.
2. When you're at the check-out line at the grocery store and you don't realize the cashier is waiting for you to pay...put it down.
3. When you're eating a meal with other people and you haven't participated in a conversation or made eye contact in the last ten minutes...put it down.
4. When you're walking, (trust me on this)...put it down.
5. When you're at the movies and you've missed the opening plot and have to ask the person beside you to bring you up to speed...put it down.
I could go on and it makes me wonder what the next generation will be like. I've literally seen people text each other when they're beside someone, instead of talking to them. It's funny but it's true.
So, as for now, our dinners will continue to be wild. Our kids will spill their milk and their little feet will kick under the table so much so that it will drive us nuts. I'm going to try harder to keep my cell phone out of my daily life a little more, because that dinner taught me something.
Even though it's easy to make the world around me disappear when I'm on my phone or online, it's the french fry flying, ketchup squirting mess that's the crazy stuff I'll want to remember.
Please VOTE below by a simple click!
We're trying to move UP in rank! Thank You So Much! XO
This time, Adam and I looked across the restaurant at a perfect family. There was a mom and dad with their quiet son and daughter sitting in their seats. I shot Adam a look that was both depressed and defeated. Then our four year old spilled her drink.
Cleaning it up, I began to watch the family a little closer and I noticed something. They were all on electronics and they weren't paying attention to each other. The dad was on his cell, the mom had an ipad, the son was playing with a Nintendo DS and the daughter was texting. They brought these things into the restaurant...for dinner.
They didn't look at each other, talk to each other, or really even pay attention to what they were eating.
What was crazier though, was that they weren't alone. So many people were on their cell phones or electronics. As peaceful and quiet as their tables were, it was strange how totally zoned out they seemed to be from each other.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for checking texts or messages and I'm fine with having the kids play games. When the connection to electronics leaves us disconnected as human beings though, that's when there's a problem.
It made me come up with a little check list that I've been guilty of and/or that drives me crazy about other people.
1. When you're in your car at a light and it turns green but you don't realize it until the five cars behind you start honking...put it down.
2. When you're at the check-out line at the grocery store and you don't realize the cashier is waiting for you to pay...put it down.
3. When you're eating a meal with other people and you haven't participated in a conversation or made eye contact in the last ten minutes...put it down.
4. When you're walking, (trust me on this)...put it down.
5. When you're at the movies and you've missed the opening plot and have to ask the person beside you to bring you up to speed...put it down.
I could go on and it makes me wonder what the next generation will be like. I've literally seen people text each other when they're beside someone, instead of talking to them. It's funny but it's true.
So, as for now, our dinners will continue to be wild. Our kids will spill their milk and their little feet will kick under the table so much so that it will drive us nuts. I'm going to try harder to keep my cell phone out of my daily life a little more, because that dinner taught me something.
Even though it's easy to make the world around me disappear when I'm on my phone or online, it's the french fry flying, ketchup squirting mess that's the crazy stuff I'll want to remember.
Please VOTE below by a simple click!
We're trying to move UP in rank! Thank You So Much! XO
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