Electronic Timeout

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September 30, 2010 - 9:38am

Castaway Travel

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Electronic Timeout

Recently, my family went out to eat dinner at a local restaurant. After we had ordered, I looked up at my family members and only saw the top of each person's head. Between cell phones and iPods, every person at the table had some electronic device consuming their every ounce of attention. Its my fault - we bought these devices for them, but my husband was using one as well.

Do you ever have your family take an electronic timeout? I am thinking of making it a rule from now on that no matter where we are eating, iPods and cell phones have to be turned off for the hour.

I am guilty of this as well. It was an eye-opener for me and made me realize how we all need constant stimulation from our electronic devices.

Am I the only one?

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September 30, 2010 - 10:57am

Columbia4Kids

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Irmo, SC 29063

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Re: Electronic Timeout

Nope! I have the same problem.

We have a no-electronics rule at the dinner table, whether it's eating out or at home. No DS's, no phones, no MP3 players... and no TV. When I was young, I used to think the no-TV-during-dinner rule was pointless and stupid, but as a Mom, I find I can't stand to have it on while we are eating. It's like, no one is really there, they are all off in their own worlds. So it stays off!

As my oldest gets into his teen years, I am reminded constantly that he's almost gone, my time with him is short and he'll be off on his own in a few short years. It really makes me pay attention to family time and try to get the most out of it. Unless everyone's being annoying. Then I tell them to go play a game...

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

~Dr Seuss

October 1, 2010 - 9:28am

wendyfady

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Asheville, NC

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Re: Electronic Timeout

Ha! I hear ya- sometimes it's good to have a way to distract them from the Mom-Mom-Mom-Mom-Mom-Mom stream of questions.

I think the bigger picture here is teaching your children digital manners. It's not something we had to learn as kids because we didn't have all the distractions but I think it is becoming critical to teach your kids not only to wash their hands, chew with their mouths shut and say please-and-thank-you but also to teach them when it's rude to pay attention to your digital devices instead of the people you are with.

Although in a way, I guess it isn't all that different than turning off the TV at the table when you think about it, so maybe we should know better even though the distractions have changed. It's never been polite to ignore your dinner companions.

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