About two weeks ago my wife and I went out to dinner at a nice restaurant. During our meal I just happened to look up and notice the people around us. Across from us were two tables with what I presumed to be families with their children. What I specifically noticed was that at the tables the parents/adults were each engaged with their cell phone or digital device, and the child (there was one child at each table) was playing what appeared to be video games on the restaurant tabletop touch screens. There was no conversation or interpersonal back and forth occurring. This was very sad to see.
As a parent who is now a grandparent I realize how fast time flies. I can remember as a young parent when I would love to bring the newspaper (Does anybody even remember what a newspaper is today?) to the table and read the news at the table during breakfast. My wife put a quick stop to that and told me that when we were together at the table it was family time. I made the adjustment and grew to love it.
I know different families choose to use their time around the table in different ways, but for us it became a time to share and talk about what was going on with each one of us, and the things happening in the world. It also became a time of laughter and downright fun as my wife, son and daughter would do and/or say something absolutely silly and hilarious. (I was always the serious one in our family.) But around the table is where some of our best family memories were created.
Parents of today, make the most of your opportunities while you have them. Invest in your family. Continually build into your relationships. Enjoy one another’s company. Don’t allow modern technology to make you strangers in each other’s presence.
The Reluctant Blogger 