The Lost Art of Conversation: What Are We Teaching Our Kids

Since cell phones made their debut 44+ years ago, I have witnessed, first-hand how much of a negative impact it has on a person's interpersonal skills and how they relate to others. This device was first designed as a way to communicate with one another without being tied down to a specific location via a cord.

Nowadays, this device is used for so much more than making a call and has made us addicted to a point where we cannot leave home without it. I, too, am guilty of this. There are times where I'm looking at my phone to see the latest updates. If I ever leave it at home, it feels like I lost a limb. I will say that when I am with my boys, I try not to stare at my phone because I know that I am their role-model and I need to set the example that my phone is not an appendage. I also need to tell them that they are important and what they have to say is important.

Do you remember what you use to do before cell phones became so popular? I do. I remember that I had more quiet time to myself to think. I remember engaging in conversations with friends over a phone that had a cord unless it was a wireless one. I remember that my social life did not consume me. All the while, I learned patience and the art of conversation.

My boys know that if they EVER get a phone, it will be just that... A PHONE (aka, jitterbug). Before these electronic devices came to fruition, we all survived, and FOMO wasn't an issue. It is my responsibility as a parent, to protect my children and preserve their innocence for as long as I can. --

Once they see something, it cannot be unseen.

Once they hear something, it cannot be unheard.