iParenting – Are You Too Plugged In?

Ever find yourself grunting out a one syllable answer to your child while you’ve got your face buried in the screen of your phone? Is your kid hanging precariously off the jungle gym while you answer email? Should we call this new phenomenon “iParenting”?

I see it all the time at the playground, but never thought I’d fall victim to watching my phone over watching my kid. Sadly, I’m not immune to the draw of technology either. Turns out, I’m not alone. A recent article in the New York Times highlighted the problems that arise when parents pay more attention to the screen than to their kids.

Basically, as you would expect, children feel hurt, jealous and competitive. Sherry Turkle, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Initiative on Technology and Self, has a book being published next year called “Alone Together” that goes into depth about this very thing.

For now, there isn’t much research on exactly what happens to kids when their parents are “checked out” but you can guess, can’t you? When a parent is engaged and attentive a child behaves one way, but when the parent isn’t it’s no wonder the child behaves like a handful. Even negative attention is attention, so the child acts up.

Some might argue that having access to the office via a smart phone allows a parent more “at home” time with their children and that is absolutely correct. So, one the one hand technology helps to promote engaged parenting. But we all know it hinders it as well. I think, at least for me, that being able to block out the rest of the world for even just a minute and focus solely on a tiny screen is sort of like a power nap for the brain. And, it’s addictive.

Just one more quick check of email…ahh, that’s it.

Anyway, it’s an interesting look at parenting today. I recommend reading it if you, like me, find yourself sneaking a “quick peek” at your e-mail, texting or tweeting while watching (and playing) with your kids.

photo credit: bredgur