Family night- chicken parmesean- freshly puchased Girl Scout cookies- an unplayed game, left-over from Christmas- You Tube searches for long lost 80's music- can't believe I still know every single word to "Time After Time" by Lauper... and in the midst of it all, we break down; we discuss the importance of texting, and rules, and why we haven't allowed the girls to have cell phones thus far... We are accused of being "behind the times" as "99 Luft Balloons" wafts through our ears. We are accused of "not listening" but we do. We listen, and we worry. We want our kids to know how to form face to face relationships- ones that exist within the realm of whole sentence structures and sincere thoughts. Certainly we have never wanted to hurt them, and yet, we do. Parenting isn't just hard- it is sometimes simply impossible to do "right"- and yet, it is the most important and most rewarding thing we do. Maybe, at the end of it all, we simply must love them, and trust them... and be there to pick up the pieces if things fall apart... time after time.
Kelly! I just LOVE this....and LOVE that there is another parent on this planet who doesn't ride to town once a week in horse-drawn buggy who also doesn't think kids should have cell phones at this young of age. Forgive me for contradicting myself...I'm sure you've noticed the new-age "skoal" ring in Melissa's front pocket lately...in the shape of a cell phone. Were it not for the blasted softball season last year and "loosing" her three times because practice location was changed and nobody bothered calling me she still would be phoneless. As it stands...she is textless...and mighty huffy about it. I try to remind her of the trip to state playoffs last year when all four of the girls I was hauling up (not counting her) to Salem texted people NOT in the car the entire trip. Not ONE face to face converstation among the group.
ReplyDeleteSo, I totally get this. Wanting to nurture eye contact and face to face relationships with REAL people who are in the room with you. I was "wrong" when I didn't give her a cell phone (in her eyes) and in mine, some days I feel I'm wrong for giving her one now. Even if on strong restriction.
I have managed to keep her off facebook, though (as far as I know...) I have my reasons. :)
The blog is lovely. I'm a fan already!!
Thank you Stephanie... you, being the guru of all this... and yes, I've noticed you guys pay close attention to the girls like we do... I gave in on the Facebook thing, but I monitor it closely. I love the fact we can connect to so many so easily with the Internet, however, being a lover of words and books, I feel the loss of the use of language in a face to face discussion... I will never be able to substitute "u" for "you"...
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