By Mommy Mimi

Although I am not that old, or advanced in age, as I like to say, I have had the opportunity to see technological advances consume our daily lives in a very short span of time. In early 2000 I worked for Sprint PCS, now known as Sprint. I remember early talks in our training sessions of phones that would take pictures and download video. We all would look at each other and think to ourselves why in the world would a phone need to take pictures. HA!!

While I am the first to admit that technology has made our lives much easier, going back to a time when it was virtually nonexistent there are times in my opinion when these things need to be turned off and things need to be done in a more “primitive” manner if you will.

Case in point. While in church I have noticed increasingly the tendencies of people to trade in the “Good Book” for an app version on their phone or iPad, or giving the iPad to a child so that the game apps will keep them still and quiet during service. As a child, I had to sit still in certain environments with only a peppermint (if I was lucky) and a look to keep me in line.

My son couldn’t keep his eyes off our seated neighbor who was playing Pac Man to her heart’s content on the iPad during a recent church visit. I kept nudging him to pay attention and sit still. When that didn’t work, I switched seats with him so that he wouldn’t be tempted. The girl’s mother looked at me funny and I gave her a smile. It was nothing against her, I just think certain places are sacred and we should teach our children to view them in the same manner. For me, church is one of them.

Do you agree or disagree. Albeit our children are coming of age in a digital society, do you believe we should allow them to fully embrace it, or do our part to set boundaries? Do you believe there are places that should be off limits to technology as much as possible?

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