All Teens and Parents....STRIP!

Yes, strip yourself….from those techo wires that nonchalantly dangle from your pockets, purses, backpacks and ears…and take back your family table! All I’m saying is reserve at least an hour every night for family meal, game or something that allows you to get to know your family beyond the squabbles, the fake ‘grill’ when relatives come over or the occasional “Hey” as you pass one another to get to the refrigerator or bathroom…while your eyes are glued to the screen on your sidekick.

Believe me; I’d LOVE to own an iPod. One of my favorite activities is listening to great music including jazz, classical, and rock. But if I were listening to, let’s say, The Hallelujah Chorus by Handel on Bose® ear buds I really believe I’d zone out and I wouldn’t be as focused on the world around me as I would without music in my ears (no pun intended). Furthermore, for me, it’s (life and living) not about blocking things or others out; rather it’s about being in tune and connected in this increasingly tentative world.

Of course technology has its place and it is mandatory if we are to keep up with and participate in the global economy but, as with anything else, we take things for granted. We tend to go overboard, especially when we discover something new, to the point where we ‘log off’ from the important things in life, like family and school (raising your hand in the middle of my lesson and ask to go to the bathroom, while holding your Blackberry in the other hand, fingers anxiously poised to respond to the text that beckons you to said bathroom!). LOL

Last year, around this time, I watched an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show where Oprah asked two families to take the “What Can You Live Without” Challenge. One beautiful family of four stood out for me because of the teenager’s response when asked to give up her cell phone, which she used to spend hours in her bedroom texting friends. Her response? “What am I supposed to do; read a book?” My educational antennae not only went up, but they swirled, tripped, flopped and flipped at the teen’s response. See, when I was a teenager, I read 3-5 novels every summer, because I wanted to escape to ‘another world’ and learn about topics that interested me as a tween/teen. One of the first novels I read was Jacqueline Suzanne’s Once Is Not Enough, which I borrowed from my older sister at the time (looking back on the hot and juicy story, I’m not so sure I’d recommend it for a thirteen year old). The point is, reading has so many benefits including learning about new things, expanding your vocabulary and definitely increasing writing skills (why not have an arsenal of words for those classy parties, job interviews, SAT tests or meet-my-girlfriend’s/boyfriend’s-parents moments?).

Anyhow, the family, which consisted of a teenager, her younger brother and their parents, knew very little about one another even though they lived in the same house! They were all so wired up with their iPods, cells, and computer they had “logged off” from one another’s concerns and presence in the home. So their task was to get rid of all their technology and discover new ways to spend time together….for one week. Towards the end of the challenge the family experienced the vitality, gratitude and sanctity of being together.

So go ahead. Reserve a tech-free hour every evening for family dinner, games or selfless service at your community center, library, church, theatre, park, etc. I am sure you will discover beautiful things about each other you wouldn’t have otherwise discovered while zoning out in the world of technology. It may feel a little strange to finally BE together but it is a process, so don’t feel discouraged if things don’t work out right away. Just keep coming back to the table…or carpet-with-pillows. Whatever your family ‘table’ might be, have fun creating it.


Teen/Family Task: 1. Give yourselves a chance. 2. Create/re-create your family “table” – Is it a beautiful piece of carpet with pillows and place mats? A nice space with a table and chairs? 3. Check out the following link for more ideas: http://media.oprah.com/tows/what-can-you-live-without-survival-guide.pdf 4. Discuss this blog with your parents or with people you feel safe sharing your thoughts.

Fun Fact: Each year in America, children and teens spend an average of 2,372 hours plugged into technology. That is approximately three and half months of watching TV; texting friends; working on the computer; playing video games; and chatting on the cell phone.

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to visit us at http://www.beyondlabelz.com/
~ Quelyn



Copyright©2010 Quelyn Purdie