As I sat with the team waiting for our flight back to Accra after the one-week outplacement support to over 2,000 mine workers who almost lost their jobs (thank God government has assured them), a mother and her two kids (a boy and a girl- 3 and 2 years from my guess) walked in to join us.
The kids were very expressive and interesting to watch as they followed their mum doing their own thing at the airport.
As they settled, the kids were given their devices and mum also took her phone.
You could see the boy wanted mum’s attention more than being on his device so from time to time he would either call the mum, touch and try to play with the tickets in his mum’s hands or put his head on his mum just to gain her attention and connect more with mum than be on his device.
Suddenly his mum screamed at him, “why are you worrying me, you have your mobile phone. Pick it and watch something “. Then she later said, “if you don’t like your phone, I will sell it”- this sounded like a threat perhaps, to get her 3-year-old boy get on his mobile phone and leave her alone.
As I watched them, I came to an awareness, – as parents, we contribute significantly to the detachment and emotional disconnection in society today which is having a huge impact on the quality of parenting.
This role reversal is very concerning as children are inclined to connect to technical devices than to family. Now children don’t tend to miss us anymore when we are not with them. This is also having a negative impact on core family values. We tend to prioritize tangible and material things over fundamental humanistic values as authentic love, kindness, empathy and selflessness.
I think it is time we paid urgent attention to our style of parenting and relationships, I’m afraid in no time we will lose the very essence of bonding and attachment.
As I get back to my family over the long weekend and beyond, I plan to be very intentional about the amount of time I’ll spend on my phone and computers.
I will start connecting more and I’ll place high value on the relationship we share. Will you also use this long weekend as we celebrate the death of Christ to reflect on the quality of your parenting and relationships.
