Texting their Lives Away

My spell-check is highlighting the word "texting" ... not in the computer's dictionary. In 21st century lexicon, texting is both a noun and an adjective ... both an object and a description of an activity.

To me ... a computer squid, it seems odd, but texting is something I've simply learned to live with. I have always preferred talking to someone rather than sending a text or speaking with a machine. I know computers, but have little interest in living large parts of my life on them ... there needs to be, as with anything, a balance.

Over the years, I've developed a philosophy in relation to communications (outside of work). I've always kept my phone separate from my e-mail separate from my iPOD/iPAD with my calendar. Only recently have I even spent the money on a texting plan (kind of got battered into that one). I have always explained the philosophy, in part, as keeping the devices separate based on the type of use as a means of maintaining battery life, but really it's more than that.

I watch people get consumed by the "electronic" worlds ... rarely talking with one another. Face to face communication gets lost somewhere ... we've all heard the odd stories. Unfortunately, I see those stories more frequently. I have this gut feeling that many of today's children (and adults) are texting their lives away.

Jennifer and I have discussed this in relation to our son and I know part of my job as a father is to develop and foster good communication skills in my son ... some of these will be electronic, but only in their proper place and time. I'm not quite sure how it will all work out, but I am pretty sure I will not be texting my son that dinner is ready any time soon ...

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Terror or Anger

Jennifer and I woke about twenty minutes ago to Patrick crying ... nothing unusual. I asked her to get him since I have to start getting ready for work in about three hours (yes, I have to work on a Saturday). Where things became unusual was the loud, sustained crash, and Patrick's cries rising to a hefty scream. Being the concerned parent that I am ... with visions of his changing table collapsed on top of him, I rushed to their aid. "What was that?" I cried. Jennifer, weakly replied, "I fell down the stairs." With Patrick screaming at the top of his lungs, I think I actually asked her to repeat what she said. I found my wife sitting, with her legs out and my son in her arms, at the bottom of the stairs. Asking if she and Patrick were OK was mixed into confused questioning about what happened. Somehow, her feet went out from under her (we suspect a couple of the leaves that Patrick likes to play with were on the steps). While my real concern was i...

Happiness Is ...

Last night was a long night ... Patrick is either sick or having a reaction to something. He has a temperature, is in obvious pain, and has a good rash covering most of his body. We have opted to wait and call his doctor ... rather than a hospital run. They will not do any more than we are with medication for the pain and temperature. But, that is not what I am writing about this morning. What I want to touch on is ... Happiness. Children know something about happiness ... the younger they are the more they show a true understanding of happiness. They are often happy for no reason ... their eyes are open and Mama and Papa are there. I think, in there is something to remember ... sometimes, we need to be happy for no reason. I keep thinking about how easy it is to take the reason that someone is happy. This all came about, not because of Patrick's issues last night, but because of a few blissful minutes when I got back to the bedroom to find my wife and son asleep on t...

"Hello?"

We walked into my parents house ... looking for Papap. "Hello," we called. "'Ello," Patrick mimicked. "Hello," we called again, laughing a bit. "'Ello," Patrick mimicked again, delighted that he could get us laughing that easily. Out in the back yard, he went for the shovel (small blue plastic one I got for him a while back). "Maybe he should go shovel in the sand-box," Papap said ... Off he went to the sand-box, lugging the shovel. Later I asked him if he wanted raisins. Shaking his head no, he headed for the fridge. "Eeze," he said ... Cheese, he intended. His comprehension and vocal capacity is growing by leaps and bounds!

Fatherhood

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