Saturday, October 30, 2010

Can't Watch- Too Busy Texting

Yesterday my son had soccer and I noticed something that kids of bothered me.

When I take my son to soccer I stand on the sidelines and watch him play- well when I'm not chasing after my daughter (it is an indoor soccer field- part of the field is for the kids to play soccer but the rest of the field is open of which my daughter takes full advantage of). I like to watch all of the kids running around and playing- kids can be pretty funny. I also like to make sure my son doesn't touch other kids or get in their personal space- this is something that I am working on with him. When he is running around he always looks up to make sure I am watching and when he sees me standing there he gets a big smile on his face.

There are other parents who stand and watch too- but then there are the parents who sit on the bleachers (which are away from where the kids are playing) and play with their cell phones the whole time and don't even pay attention to their kids. These kids are three and four years old- why wouldn't you watch your child play when you know they really like you to? It seems like most of the younger parents are the watchers and the older parents are the crackberry addicts (there are a couple of exceptions).

Maybe the older parents have other kids that they did this with and they just can't put out the effort anymore? Who knows- I just think it is sad. When I see someone playing with their cell phone it indicates to me that they are bored and it seems a bit rude (in this case- rude to their kids). I don't want my kids growing up seeing my fiddling with my phone (not that I would because I have a bare bones Trac Phone that I only use to make phone calls) because then they will think that it is ok to constantly be checking and playing on their phones which is rude and inconsiderate. Technology should enhance aspects of our lives but not take away from personal relationships.

On another note- I find it weird when I see anyone who is above the age of 30 who is texting away on their phones. Maybe I'm just an old fart at the age of 27 but I can't stand texting- it is just such a teenager kind of thing in my eyes. Don't be offended if you enjoy text messaging- I probably am just an old fart.

4 comments:

  1. I'm a special ed teacher and once had a parent who spent the majority of the time at her daughter's IEP meeting texting away WHILE I WAS TRYING TO TALK TO HER!!

    In any regards, found a great deal you might like for your kiddos

    http://mamagotcoups.blogspot.com/2010/10/veggie-tales-incredible-singing.html

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  2. It must be hard to keep your composure when someone is doing something like that!

    Thanks for the link- my kids love music!

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  3. Some people could be working...I know a lot of people we do business with often send us messages via bb text. I am addicted to my bb but my kids are always number 1. Sad to say some parents just dont get it

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  4. That is a good point that they could be working but like you said, some parents just don't get it!
    My husband loves his blackberry and uses bb text- it's funny because he has a very (and I mean very) expensive phone and I have a cheapo Trac Phone. I always tease him about texting and he always corrects me that it is a blackberry and it is not considered texting.
    Like I said- I'm weird. I am ging to one of those mom's who says to my kids when they are older "in my day we used AOL instant messenger and we didn't have phones with cameras and fancy keyboards..."

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