Skip to content

Concern over hand-held gadgets

To the editor;
18328171_web1_190329-NTS-M-letterstotheeditor-teaser

To the editor;

As a grandmother and a retired employee of the Kamloops-Thompson school district, I have concerns about the younger generations.

Waiting for knee replacement surgery and using a walker, I have the time to observe a lot of behaviour in the downtown, where I have lived for 12 years.

My greatest concern is the obsession the younger (and sometimes, older) generation has with hand-held gadgets.

The worst scenario I witnessed involved a young mom walking down Fourth Avenue, pushing a small baby in a stroller while her toddler was lagging behind on his own. What was the mother doing? Looking down at her phone with no regard for her children’s safety. Sure enough, a truck pulled out from the lane, right in front of her, and I had to yell at her to pay attention.

I’ve seen young dads pushing strollers with one hand while concentrating on their phone in the other hand. Sad to say, these are not uncommon sights.

While riding transit, I have seen moms spend the entire time on their phones, making zero eye contact with their young children. How are these parents’ behaviours going to affect the next generation?

Yes, we had Sesame Street as a babysitter, but I coloured with my daughter while she watched her favourite TV show. Are parents still colouring with their children?

Laura Douglas

Kamloops, B.C.