There was this one time I took the family out for pizza to our favorite place. After we placed our order, we all sat and talked about our day, laughed and had a good time. We eat dinner together as a family every single day (with some rare exceptions.) It's the one time we have together to all talk together. For my wife and I, it's the most important time we have with our kids. They tend to tell us things at dinner that they might not otherwise. So we make it a practice of listening to them talk more than we talk.
Anyway, one time we were out for pizza and having a good time. Our order arrived and we continued talking and eating.
When we finished our meal (Pizza, salad, soda...) the manager of the restaurant came up to us, apologized for interrupting us and commented that we were the first family he's seen in a very long time who actually seemed to enjoy being together. He along with some of the other wait staff saw that we were having a good time (not too loud, not disturbing others, but all of us enjoying each other's company) and that they genuinely enjoyed serving us. As he was talking to us, I looked around the restaurant.
One father was talking on the phone, ignoring his wife who was struggling to keep their two children quiet from fussing. Another family had their smartphone's out playing games. Another couple was sitting there just staring off into space. It seemed like we were the only ones enjoying each other's company and having a good time.
As I took the bill to pay it, the manager offered us a free dessert. We passed, tipped our waitress well (she was absolutely fantastic) and continue to go to that restaurant about once a month as we have for awhile now.
What I've noticed for a very long time is that when people are "together" they seem to be occupied elsewhere. Whether on the phone, playing a game on their phone, texting, or whatever - there seems to be this obsession with interacting with someone OTHER THAN the person one's with.
What's happened to our society?
“What’s happened to our society?”
I’ve noticed the same thing in restaurants. And I too wonder what it will do to “society” in the next 10-30 years. The kids are too into the texting, etc. My one daughter doesn’t do too much, the other does too much, and my son is perhaps in the middle. The one daughter gets her phone and internet taken away if the grades drop.
When the girls have a sleepover with their friends they will all be on their phones! I tell them 15 more minutes, and then no more phones. Board games and movies (and lots of snacks!) take up the rest of the evening. Some time allowed for looking at goofy youtube videos as they crowd around the computer screen.
But it does seriously have me concerned on how most kids will be able to interact with others, focus on their tasks/jobs, etc.