Tales from the Dad Side- Dark days without the internet

As we welcomed the hot days of August, our family experienced a humorous yet self-described day of devastation for the girls. Striving to integrate education into our everyday lives Leona, my wife, decided to take the girls along with her as she prepared for the upcoming election. While including the girls, Leona would have a prime opportunity to explain the benefits of the electoral systems in America while ensuring a captive audience from the girls. The day began with excitement and many questions from the girls but rapidly turned to one of boredom and disdain, the type which all parents of younger children who believe they are older than they are, are familiar with.

As the trio completed their duties, they decided to take the rest of the day and do some relaxing at home, playing with the pets and generally doing what families do. A couple hours later, when good old dad made it home it was apparent that something went terribly wrong. While momma showered and prepared for an early bedtime, Riyann, our youngest tucked herself away in her bedroom, playing with her toys as she envisioned the latest adventure she and her dolls were embarking upon. As I found my place on my couch, turned on the television and began surfing the channels, hoping to find something of interest on the channel guide, I noticed a nervous Lilli pacing back and forth in the living room.

Finding Lilli’s actions much more interesting than what I was finding on the television I began giving her my full attention. I watched as she moved from one side of the room to the other, exhaling loudly, shoulders limp, explaining that she just didn’t know if she was going to make it. Confident that she would surely voice her dismay soon, I simply watched and did my best not to engage the child. As any smart father knows, there are times to engage and others when its best not to poke the adolescent bear when you don’t have to. As I watch, Lilli became more and more visual with her body movements and verbal frustration.

She began explaining to me that she was so bored and her little sister wouldn’t go outside with her to play. She added that she simply had nothing to do and was uncertain if she would survive the night. As we spoke she explained to me that if she could only use my cell phone for a little bit she thought she may be alright. After explaining that my phone was on the charger, so her using it was out of the question, she again sighed loudly and I’m pretty sure developed a series of ticks surrounding her eyes and a noticeable shaking of her hands. It was then that it hit me, the internet was out at the house and the child was going through withdrawals from her cherished iPad.

Explaining that she only needed it for a minute, the child was not going to take no for an answer. She pleaded, reasoned, and even stooped to level of bribery at one point, assuring me that those dishes in the sink would miraculously disappear into the realm of cleanliness if I only succumbed and allowed her five minutes of joy, with either my iPad or cell phone. No amount of reasoning was resonating with the child as she felt the full force of her electronics addiction swarm around her. Finding it somewhat humorous, but trying to be empathetic, I described several other items she could be doing even resorting to reverse psychology and explaining that I knew of a child’s bedroom which needed cleaned. Simply said, she was having none of it and continued on until she disappeared downstairs, I’d imagine to take part in Riyann’s adventure with her babies.

As I contemplated the events of my beloved child’s plight, I wondered how we as a people have come so far in such a short time, having the world at our fingertips because of these minicomputers we call phones and tablets. As I considered the positive impacts such devises have on us, I was also confronted with exactly how the devices can possess potential negative effects for each of us. The topic has been a hotbed issue in our family as we have observed an upward surge in usage now that school is out, leaving the girls with a motivation similar to a sleeping sloth absent their devices.

Considering all of the good thing’s technology can be attributed to in our lives we must be on guard not to loose sight of the vastly important traditional learning curves which many of us grew to despise as children but truly molded our very being. Playing outside, exploring, catching crawdads from the creek and generally being a kid never included a handheld device for many of us. Some may consider it a tragedy, others a blessing. Either way, we learned to look, work, and play outside the box, finding adventure in the simpler things in life. Take the time my friends, the time necessary to put the devices down, encourage the same from our children, and soak in all this world has to offer. Learning to engage our surroundings as we embark upon an adventure of a lifetime. Maybe then, only then, can the pain of device withdrawal be minimized despite all the humor we find therein.

Richard J. Stephens lives in Carter County and is the father of three little ladies ranging in age from eight to 29.