What is the first thing you do every morning when you open your eyes? Is it looking at your smart phone, iPhone or other device?

A little while ago Oli, our eight-year-old son, had a dream. In his dream, Oli was swimming in the ocean, and he was  being chased by a shark, which turned into a crocodile,  which then morphed into a monster.

He was swimming, as fast as he could, to get away from the monster. He finally reached the shore where my wife Angel and I were both sitting and working on our computers.

Oli was screaming at the top of his lungs for us to help him—to save his life—but we were so absorbed in our laptops, that we couldn’t hear him at all, and we didn’t even notice he was there.

Oli woke up sweating and heaving, just a second before the monster in his dream gobbled him up.

What do you think is the message here? Too much technology in our lives?

My wife and I have recently decided to turn off our computers and iPhones, at the same time every afternoon, when our children return home from school.

It’s a hard decision to make, in a world where everyone expects you to be available 24 hours a day and answer e-mails, texts and Facebook messages on the spot.

So many couples and families are less engaged with each other, and instead, faces are turned down looking at a little screen.

Let’s all try to consciously be more present with our loved ones (before they are eaten by a sea monster!)—perhaps it may help save our relationships?

There is a beautiful world all around us—beautiful sunrises and sunsets to see. Not through a screen though—but side by side, with someone we love.

With the spare time we’ve had—without our phones and computers—my family has created a “Play Station” outside. (See the photo above!)

Day by day, as we play and are more engaged with our four children, our bond grows. We’ve also noticed a difference in our children’s self-confidence and behavior.

“Unplugging” has worked wonders in our marriage relationship—more time for talking, cuddling and love making!

Although I like watching movies with the futuristic theme of the world being taken over by machines—I am not a real believer of this vision. Technology definitely has its benefits, but not all the time—but there is a right time and place for everything.

Staring at screens should not replace gazing into another person’s eyes. Touch screens can never be a substitute for human touch.

Screens are addictive, and it takes a bit of fighting against the current to break free from them.

Are you up for the challenge?

.

Relephant reads:

5 Little Ways to Be Present In a Plugged In World.

Help Me! I’m Tweeting & I Can’t Get Off!

.

Author: Gopala Amir Yaffa

Editor: Yoli Ramazzina

Photo: Author’s own.