I have a love hate relationship with technology.
I’ve been reflecting on this quite a bit today after reading/listening to an article on the NPR website about raising personable children in spite of being “plugged in.” (Click here to check it out.)
As I sit at my computer waiting for the right words to come to me, I watch my daughter through the window as she plays in the snow and I think to myself, “When was the last time I truly played with my daughter?”
If we don’t spend time disconnected from technology our children may never learn true connection with people. When was the last time you spent an entire day without the use of technology like cell phones, computers, tablets or video games? When was the last time you made a true connection with someone in person?
My daughter will never remember or experience a time when technology didn’t exist so it’s up to me to make sure that she gets ample time unplugged from it. It’s important to every relationship we have in life to be able to interact and relate to those around us, beyond what a text message can say.
We can say so much with our body language. Sometimes a simple action can speak more clearly than a thousand words.
Source: dictoot.com via sutton on Pinterest
If we are communicating through technology the majority of the time will our human connections suffer?
In the article I read, the father seems to think that in the generations to follow we probably won’t need skills like eye contact and articulation to help us relate to one another—as if human contact will be completely negated. This idea made me so sad.
Source: flickr.com via Sarah on Pinterest
Does that mean that all of our communication will be done through devices?! All interviews and dating and relating? Are our relationships with other people doomed?
Not if I have anything to do about it!!
So I’m going to back away from my computer, turn off my cell phone, turn down the music and turn up my senses to go make a connection with my daughter.
My suggestion to you is to do the same. Go have a meaningful conversation with a loved one. The only way to truly connect is to disconnect!
Nichole Gould is the founder of Barefoot Warrior Yoga in The White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a Student of life, yogini, yoga teacher, landscape gardener, single mother, organic pizza waitress and lover of all board sports, she considers herself a jack of much and a master of none. She can also be found dabbling with guitar playing, singing off key, reading from her many stacks of books or writing poetry. Feel feel to peruse her Facebook page or contact her via her website for more insight into her ever curious mind.
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Ed: Lynn Hasselberger
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