I froze, gripping a wooden spoon in one hand and my iphone in the other. Did my 5 year old really just say that? Out loud? About me?
And how does he know a dick when he sees one anyway?
'Mum's a dick, a dick....addicted to her iphone' he finally spluttered out triumphantly.
I didn't know whether to be relieved or offended. (Relieved and then offended as it turned out).
But he was right - though not about the dick part obviously.
The thing is I spend my mornings working and then, when I should switch off for the afternoon, I don't. I check updates constantly, and regardless of who is around - kids or grown ups. Coffee with friends? Quick check of my mails won't hurt. At the supermarket checkout? Time to catch up on Facebook. At the park with the children? Perfect opportunity to text some people. Drinks in the pub? I'll just take a quick picture of my perfect pint of Guinness for Instagram...
Strangely it's only my own mum that actually tells me off for this. Because she is not a dick. Or addicted to technology like the rest of us it would seem.
New research from Foresters highlights gadget-to-gadget interaction is more popular now than face-to-face.
• Four
in five UK adults prefer to text rather than talk
• More
than a third use their smartphone while having a face-to-face conversation
and
• Almost
one in ten avoid social interaction altogether in favour of gadgets
Despite its traditional purpose, most people (81%) use
their phone more to text, email, play games and use the internet rather than to
telephone and actually talk to someone.
The research also reveals that over a third
(39%) of phone owners will text, use social media, or surf the internet while having a
face-to-face conversation.
That's bad isn't it? I know that's not what I want to pass on to my kids so I'm making yet another pledge to prioritise my time better. Put down the phone. Listen more. Engage in the moment.
Although come to think of it - it may already be too late....
