Put your phone down!

On weekends, Mr. and Mrs. Minh are busy cleaning the house and preparing food and drinks from early morning to welcome their eldest son, Nam, who lives in Nghe An province, and his family. Their youngest daughter, Mai, who has her own family, came home early with her husband and children to help her parents. Everyone was looking forward to seeing Nam's family because he established his career far from home and is busy with work, so he rarely has the opportunity to bring his wife and children home to visit. Mrs. Minh cheerfully said: "Nam's whole family loves this chicken stew with lotus seeds, and this is Mai's specialty: crispy fried carp. I've prepared all delicious dishes for you all!"

Everyone was busy with their own tasks, chatting and working at the same time, creating a joyful family atmosphere like a New Year's celebration. Around noon, Nam's family arrived home. After lunch, Mai and her sister-in-law finished cleaning up the kitchen and were about to go to the living room to chat with the family, but they only saw her brother glued to his phone screen. Nam's two children were either texting friends or playing video games in their rooms... Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Minh sat listlessly, watching their children and grandchildren engrossed in their own affairs.

Seeing this, Mai said loudly: "Hey, you've been away for months, months at a time, and you don't even talk or confide in your parents. As soon as you put down your chopsticks, you rush to your phone. Look, your parents are longing for you and your children to come home so they can be together and strengthen their bonds. But even though family members are sitting close together, their feelings are distant because each person is engrossed in their phone. A hug, a glance, a simple greeting... becomes rare. If you don't change to set a good example for the children, the affection between our family members will grow further and further apart. I suggest you and the children put down your phones, invite your parents to have tea, some fruit for dessert, and chat."

Mr. Nam quickly put down his phone and told his children to put their phones away.

Undeniably, smartphones offer many conveniences. With just one compact device, we can connect with the world , work, entertain, learn, shop, and more. However, excessive smartphone use is causing some people to lose their ability to connect emotionally, becoming indifferent to their loved ones. Children lack parental attention because their parents are preoccupied with browsing the internet. Spouses sit together, but each is lost in their own world. Family gatherings and get-togethers with friends are gradually becoming gatherings of blue screens instead of warm laughter. Furthermore, excessive smartphone use leads to many worrying consequences. Children experience delayed language development and behavioral disorders due to early and prolonged exposure to electronic devices. Young people and teenagers become engrossed in the virtual world, easily influenced by harmful trends and fake news because they don't know how to protect themselves online...

Currently, in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the explosion of information technology, we cannot turn our backs on technology, but we can absolutely master it, instead of letting it master us. Let's start with small actions: Put down your phone during meals, spend time talking to your children every evening; ask about loved ones verbally instead of just sending messages. Every parent should set a good example for their children in using phones effectively and in moderation. Schools and families need to educate children on how to use electronic devices and phones intelligently and appropriately.

Thu Yen

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/hay-bo-dien-thoai-xuong-3188738.html