Sometimes social media and the rush of instant everything gets in the way of communication.
I mean the real, live, stuff.
Like the eye to eye, breath down the back of the neck, shoulder squeezing, hand grabbing sorts of communication.
I know we think we’re doing a good job at keeping up with hundreds, even thousands of friends on FaceBook, Instagram and any other social site we operate on but when my students at school look at me as if I’ve asked them to pick up and fly when I tell them to put their phones away and to,
“Stop letting your fingers do the talking, try using your voices.”
The subtle re-use of the Yellow Pages ad. is lost on them!
Instead they whine loudly,
“We’re not very good at doing that!”
Is that scary or what?
Since closing up my home school a few years ago we’ve already faced the dilemma of a whole generation of children not being able to write legibly or fluently with a writing implement. The reasoning being that if they are able to use their computers for every composition, math problem, science equation, job application, greeting card, etc… why even learn how to hold a pencil anymore?
I find my keyboard keeps me busy most of the day.
The other afternoon, after feeding my cats their treat I went back to my desk to finish off what I was doing and there was Callie, curled up on my MacBook,
Her body language was un-mistakable,
“That’s enough! Time to pay me some attention!”
If you look closely at the screen you’ll see the words, ‘No Results.’
She has a point there…I can’t stroke her silky coat by typing.
So I’m going to add, stroking and playing with my cats to the short list of real, live stuff of communication.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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