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.