Parents & technology

I spent my morning at the Janeway   I noticed something really interesting, and not uncommon; all the parents around me, 6 of them, were all absorbed by their phones. Did I check my phone? Yes. How often? Once, to see if I had missed a call that I was expecting. Then it went back to the bottom of my cluttered purse.

" I'll be with you as soon as I finish catching up on my Facebook feed"

I find this interesting, & I honestly try to reserve judgement. That being said, I can't help but kind of stare because I am so fascinated to watch these 6 parents ignore their children except for when the child attempts to engage.  Nicholas is free to run about, playing & engaging with others. I give him his freedom in this safe environment but keep a diligent eye. After all, the people around us are strangers, he's running all out so I need to make sure he doesn't run someone over or run into or trip up on something, & well, he's my child. I want to keep an eye on him. Period.  Are people that trusting that they feel they can ignore their children to catch up on the Facbook feeds or play CandyCrush? Sure, maybe they were looking at a work-related email, but what did you do before email was mobile?  Me? I was conscious about my cell phone use & I'm usually the one ignoring my phone to keep an eye on Nicholas because he's just so fast,  & these days I struggle to keep up - but that's a completely different blog.

I guess I just don't understand these parents today at the clinic; there to attend & discuss issues surrounding their child's behaviour &/or developmental needs/refinement, whatever, and not engaging with their children unless the child was making the effort. Is that not counter productive? Anyway, I thought it was really interesting, given the situation; all of these presumably "concerned" adults/parents were spending their waiting time with their heads down ignoring their children, yet seeking something from a professional. I just don't get it. And maybe that's why I'm having difficulty with articulating. I. Don't. Get. It.

Step away from the tech

Just recently I read a number of articles that included lists. I'm a list person. I like seeing everything in front of me in a form that's easy to read. Ok ! So the interesting bits. One article published in Time discussed morning regimes that would lead to a more productive day. The other article was from a psychology journal. It was a list of things to do, or not do, to improve a bad mood. Interestingly enough, #2 on both lists concerned technology & social media, respectively. 

Avoid your phone first thing in the morning as a way to improve daily productivity makes sense, at least for me. I'm guilty of hardly having two eyes open before grabbing my phone to check my social media's newsfeed for news & check email. How often is the news or "news" we read focusing on something negative? By exposing ourselves to negativity first thing in the morning how can we expect to have good start to the day? 

Are you guilty of this?

Facebook has been linked with causing bad moods. How could it not? It's like that age old saying "out of sight, out of mind." The example in the article was someone posts pictures of a vacation and no one "Likes" it. Essentially, Facebook is a great cause of rejection.People tend to feel rejected when not acknowledged. I can understand how Facebok can elicit those feeling in people,especially those who depend on FB for validation. But like the article suggests, just reach out. 

As great as the internet and technology are, sometimes it's just too much. Only a few nights ago I was chatting with a friend and we both said we wished today was like it was back when we were teenagers in the 90s. Things were simpler. I'm not gonna lie. I'm the one that's in the lineup at the grocery store doing my online banking or replying to an email. But we were all just fine before technology prompted these expectations. 

If you're interested in further reading about the negative impacts of social media/networking & Facebook... How Facebook Makes Us Unhappy

Social media & promoting two-way communication

Social media is an interesting thing. It allows us to stay connected. Connected to people we know, but also allows us to connect with those we don’t. Social Media allows us to connect with businesses and products with whom we’re familiar and use. Social media, though some frown upon it, does promote two-way communication, whether we like it, or not.

 
Gone are the days consumers have to put up with dissatisfactory service/products. I just started subscribing to Ipsy Glam Bags. You pay a monthly fee to receive a monthly makeup bag filled with larger than sample size products to try out. I was reading their FB page when I saw the two-way communication that had taken place between a potentially dissatisfied customer & Ipsy. The customer complained & Ipsy quickly (so it seemed) to respond, provide further contact information to remedy the issue.

Ipsy Glam Bag

We no longer have to hand write letters or wait in massive queues for our voice to be heard. Because we can share, good or bad experiences or service, for anyone to see, it forces organizations to respond in an expedient fashion.

 
I completely take advantage of the two-way communication that is promoted through social media. I have no reservation in using company FB pages to express dis/pleasure with any services or products I’ve used/receive. But I will admit, I usually take advantage of social media to express my frustration. I’m sure I’m not alone.