I love this photo! I wish I could BLOW it up.If you look really super,duper close you can see the gentleman pointing to a photo hanging on the wall to the young child.I don’t know them BUT,I like to believe it is a father and daughter.I watched the scene.The little girl was listening so intently to the man,I assumed she was Daddy’s little girl and he was rambling on about a memory. She seemed so fascinated by her Daddy’s story.It was a quick scene at the Balloon game.You know,the age-old,throw a dart at the balloons;if you hit three you win a framed poster of a star,THAT game!
Why was it so touching?Today,I know,you are rolling your eyes already,and boy,do I sound old,anyway, TODAY,these scenes are so rare.I am sorry to say but parents today occupy their kids with things.I see kids in strollers with gadgets and the parents pushing them are looking at their gadgets,along with gadgets in their ears too.Older kids have the gadgets in their hands and ears!!! Families stroll along saying not a word to each other!Goodness,not even the arguments anymore.Gone are the days of hearing those fun family frustrating fights.You know,the long days at the fair, hot and steamy and you use to hear, “If you don’t stop your whining then….” Yeah,it was usually an empty threat but by golly it was parents and children communicating, sort of.Now, families walk side by side, helping each other avoid running into a trash can or another human being texting.
It is kind of sad what parents are missing today.I use to have some of my best conversations with my children in the car.Don’t get me wrong, I use to have some of my ‘best fights’ too in the car but I wouldn’t trade any of those moments.I am thrilled,iPods came much later and texting too.My daughter was a little older when the iPod came along and she drove us nuts wearing the darn thing.We use to complain constantly and say, “You miss half the fun with those things in your ear.”AND, we would make her yank it out so she could join ‘THE FUN’.AND, yes, she eye rolled us!
I find it amazing that parents seem to have to pop in a video driving to and from the grocery store as they talk on their cell phone.I am so glad I didn’t have that option because my kids and I bonded with stories,teachable moments and even fighting!It all happened unexpectedly,in the car, at the kitchen table,or,even walking around the fair.Parents are missing some wonderful,unsuspecting moments and I am not sure they even know it!
Do you ever say “put the gadgets away?” Or am I just an old fuddy Duddy?
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I was just at the fair last weekend and passed by this game! But I was too busy watching J to see if anyone around me was paying attention to their kids
. LOL that you miss the fights too! I do notice that not a lot of fights, or even tantrums, are happening around me. Either parents are being too lax or their kids are just awesome. What do you think? I think it’s the former 
. Anyways, I do feel that even with technology, we can still connect with our kids if we make the effort. I think that letting them listen to their iPods in the car, play with their phones all the time, and have to have a DVD on is parents being lazy. That’s too harsh, isn’t it? Maybe they have good reason. I have a rule for myself — no checking phone when I’m with J. When I’m with J, he has my full attention. I think he’ll appreciate it when he gets older. I also think it cuts down on tantrums b/c kids just want to be their mom and dad’s center of attention. Of course, too much attention isn’t good either. I ramble. One last thing, I think that the reconnecting also has to happen between adults too. When family visits, I like to sit around and talk, not watch TV.
My daughter is 3 so conversations are rather limited.however we try! Dinner time is totally screen free, and we read books a lot. However, I do not rise above using the TV during the witching hour while making dinner!
You really had me laughing at this one and you make an excellent point and you are not an old fuddy duddy—or, if you are, then so am I. There weren’t so many gadgets when the lovelies were growing up, or maybe we just didn’t have them. So talking never ceased. The couple across the street from us have two boys –13 and 11– and they just got cable a couple of years ago. But the boys have no cell phones or iPods, etc. and their computer and tv time are very limited. Sadly, you’re right, those boys are a rarity these days.
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