Put Down Your Phones!

[meggiebeth]

Really, unless you HAVE to work I do not see why anyone would want to be on their phones whilst IN WDW. I would be enjoying the rides!

A friend was in WDW and was constantly posting on Facebook; 'About to ride Mission Space' or 'Can't wait to eat lunch' or even just 'I miss my Xbox'. I just don't understand why anyone would spend that much time on their phone voluntarily when you are half way across the world. My phone usually stays turned off and in the room safe when in WDW.

Whilst I'm glad WDW now has free wifi, I'm also a little disappointed. I liked that my teenage brother couldn't sit in his room all evening and speak to friends on Facebook. We got to go swimming and out to Downtown Disney and all sorts. Now he often wants to stay in the room on Facebook and the like.

I guess you can tell I like a 'technology-free' vacation!

Also, I find it odd that when we eat out, some tables spend most of the meal on their phones, texting people and not speaking to their friends. Yes, there are exceptions, but I still think it is funny. Whatever happened to talking?

Meg~ Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Violet Parr]

This happened to us not that long ago...mom, dad and 2ish year old daughter. She was sitting at a local restaurant playing on an iPhone. I assumed it was mom's or dad's and didnt think much of it. Throughout the meal though, both mom and dad pulled out their own iphones! The kid had her own iphone and she was 2! I love living in Washington DC, people have a lot of disposable cash!

THat might have been an iPod touch. Or a parent's old, used phone. My kids share my old, really beat up iPhone that has no phone service. It's glitchy and old, would not make phone calls for me, etc. so when I got my new phone I gave the old one to my kids. They have their music on there, preschool apps, etc.

 

[WillAustin]

Why should it bother me- because if the observations are correct then it means that something disturbing is happening with interpersonal dynamics. When little plastic gadgets have more immediate importance than personal connectedness. People would rather browse or text than talk to each other. I completely understand where the OP is coming from.

We specifically limited our kids' use of electronics for this exact reason. Interpersonal dynamic skills are going to give people even more of an advantage in the future.

Good Post Mum . It's so true, social skills are going right out the window. People can't just "be" anymore, whether they are in an elevator, or a line at the grocery store, or at an amusement park they don't know how to just "be" without pulling out their phone and tap tap tapping. It's pathetic.

Had one of these next to me in Muppetvision recently, so annoying...you can't avoid seeing the lighted screen in a dark theatre.

Decent manners, etiquette, and consideration have gone out the window as well.

In the pursuit of everyone's opinion somehow becoming equally valid, the thought of consideration for those around you has mostly disappeared.

 

[mefordis]

As long as the people on the phones are not being loud (which they are just tapping on keys, right? I can't imagine how that would be distracting) it is quite frankly none of anyone's business that they are on the phone, iPad, iTouch, whatnot.

I really would hate for any of you complainers to have any REAL problems to worry about!

 

[dawnhaze]

Oh hurray, another judgmental thread in which people take the opportunity to feel superior to others.

I use my phone a ton on every vacation I take and I enjoy it that way. I sure hope I haven't caused anyone too much existential angst over my choices that don't affect them at all.

 

[mefordis]

Oh hurray, another judgmental thread in which people take the opportunity to feel superior to others.

I use my phone a ton on every vacation I take and I enjoy it that way. I sure hope I haven't caused anyone too much existential angst over my choices that don't affect them at all.

No kidding! Okay, let me get this straight. Make sure we don't:

- Take pictures with flash
- Talk too loud
- Get out of line to use the bathroom then try to get back in line to meet up with our peeps.
- Blow bubbles
- Utilize our handhelds
-Breathe oxygen
- Take up space

Got it.

 

[wdwfan]

I think I'll be asking my teens to put their phones down during dinner if they seem to be preoccupied by their phones. We'll have to see...they don't text and check their phones during dinner at home so I'm hoping for the same behavior during dinner at WDW. Now while waiting in line, I don't mind, it's a drag to be in line for awhile, so checking devices is not an issue for me then, not even when we're back in the room and we're just unwinding. But that's us.

 

[angierae]

Quite frankly, standing in line is BORING. Yes, you can talk, but really, after nine days of being in a resort room together, eating three meals a day together, standing in lines together - I don't think it's the end of the world if people play on their phones while waiting in line for a ride. We are a no phones at the table family, but anything to make waiting in line more interesting is fine by me.

 

[Violet Parr]

I take all of my vacation pics on my iPhone.

We spend a LOT of time with our kids. Heck, we homeschool them. We have never once in their lives (oldest is almost 12) have EVER hired a babysitter. EVER. We are ALWAYS with them, unless they are in outside classes (sports, science, dance, etc.)

When we go on vacation, We play with them, we ride rides, we have family time. Occasionally we pause to all take a breather from each other, sometimes after our order is taken and before our meal arrives. I'll browse the vacation pics I just took, dh will send a text to my parents to let them know we're all having a great time, the kids will look at the Disney app to see what rides they want to ride next.

Don't make assumptions about how much time people spend with their kids or the quality of their parenting based on your observations of them over a mere matter of minutes.

 

[Burnedout]

I take my pictures on the phone too because I actually look at them later.

We homeschool our kids and are with them all of the time. Well it has felt like it at different ages. we talk on vacation and interact. We also talk with others and interact too. Sometimes on the phone.

 

[LovesHauntedMansion]

I was going to start a thread on the use of cell phones at the park after my last trip and now I'm glad I didn't after reading some of the responses. I understand about doctors and other professionals who might need to keep in touch back home, but I doubt if that's the case with the majority of the people. If so, maybe that's why I can never get a doctor's appointment, plumber, electrician, etc. when I need them. They are all at WDW!

I understand if there is some down time, such as waiting to be seated for dinner, waiting for a parade, waiting for a bus, etc. But people are on devices while riding rides, during shows, during parades, and other times when you would think that they would want to see and hear something that they have paid good money to see and hear.

I do think that cell phones have become somewhat of an addiction. Some people couldn't imagine turning them off for even one day. I think that is the reason why you get such a strong reaction when mentioning the use of cell phones. Ever ask an alcoholic how many drinks they had that day? You'll get the same reaction.

 

[Burnedout]

Lol, or perhaps it is because of the ridiculous broad brush comments. . People tend to have emotional reactions to negative assumptions.

 

[LikeSeriously]

What happened to when kids colored at dinner? I'm not exactly a kid anymore, but I usually ask for kids menus to color when out at a restaurant. Nowadays, most kids are found playing games on the ipad/iphone at dinner. That's unacceptable to me, and I think to have a true vacation get away, all internet and communication should be very limited/rarely used.

How is coloring different than being on an iPod? You are still trying to keep your child busy. My daughter plays a lot of educational games and reads books all the time on her iPod.

 

[Southernmiss]

Quite frankly, standing in line is BORING. Yes, you can talk, but really, after nine days of being in a resort room together, eating three meals a day together, standing in lines together - I don't think it's the end of the world if people play on their phones while waiting in line for a ride. We are a no phones at the table family, but anything to make waiting in line more interesting is fine by me.

This exactly. We have a bunch of introverts in our family who need to shut out everyone now and then.

Our kids are well adjusted and can appropriately communicate with others, just not 24/7.

No phones at dinner or while talking to others.

 

[LikeSeriously]

This happened to us not that long ago...mom, dad and 2ish year old daughter. She was sitting at a local restaurant playing on an iPhone. I assumed it was mom's or dad's and didnt think much of it. Throughout the meal though, both mom and dad pulled out their own iphones! The kid had her own iphone and she was 2! I love living in Washington DC, people have a lot of disposable cash!

If you could tell it was an iPhone and not an iPod, sorry but you were way too close to this family. Not only that, but we kept our old iphone so that my daughter could use it as an iPod before she was old enough to have her own. I don't have disposable cash so I was making a smart choice of giving the old one to her rather than letting her play with my new one and risk damage.

 

[LaurenT]

I haven't read the thread, but here's my two cents anyway.
My DD has Aspergers and ADHD. It manifests itself in continuous chatter. Serious, nonstop, moment she wakes up until she falls asleep chatter.
I LOVE my DD and would do anything for her, but I cannot take a continuous stream of talking. I interact with her plenty, but I also need quiet time. She loves the I Pod that her brother got her for Christmas. She plays mine craft on there (which I've read is very good for her math skills) and is happy doing that for sufficient lengths of time to give me a break.
So, if you see me stand next to my DD and she is consumed with her I pod, maybe don't go right to being disturbed and saddened because you assume I'm not interacting with my child. What you see is just a snapshot and not the full story.

 

[jahber]

Also... Let's be perfectly honest here. I've known my kids darn near their whole life. There's not much more to talk about.

Ha! And we homeschool, so I know PLENTY about my kids.

I would argue that all that time I spend "ignoring" my kids at WDW is more than made up for by the time I spend pouring my life into and educating my kids at home. We aren't "on vacation" at WDW. We are locals. Going is a perk. The trade off is mommy and daddy have to bring their phones. So please, no one needs to be sad for us. To be honest, I'm sad for (as in, I feel bad for; not, I think they are "sad") people who only see their kids in the evenings and weekends and are therefore so protective of their limited vacation time that they project their situations onto others. And here I'm being sincere and not at all snarky. I am 100% aware of how blessed I am to spend so much time with my kids. But mama's got to have some time for herself!

Edited: I split this post into two paragraphs so the PP I quoted didn't think I was arguing with him/her right after agreeing with him/her.

 

[luvmy3]

Lol, or perhaps it is because of the ridiculous broad brush comments. . People tend to have emotional reactions to negative assumptions.

Ridiculous broad brush comments? If you haven't noticed the fact that everyone and their child is on some kind of electronic device you must be living under a rock. Those that get so defensive when someone points that out must do so because they know there is truth behind the statements. If they didnt, they wouldnt be getting their you know whats in such a twist when someone mentions it.

 

[BenbowInn]

Ha! And we homeschool, so I know PLENTY about my kids. I would argue that all that time I spend "ignoring" my kids at WDW is more than made up for by the time I spend pouring my life into and educating my kids at home. We aren't "on vacation" at WDW. We are locals. Going is a perk. The trade off is mommy and daddy have to bring their phones. So please, no one needs to be sad for us. To be honest, I'm sad for (as in, I feel bad for; not, I think they are "sad") people who only see their kids in the evenings and weekends and are therefore so protective of their limited vacation time that they project their situations onto others. And here I'm being sincere and not at all snarky. I am 100% aware of how blessed I am to spend so much time with my kids. But mama's got to have some time for herself!

I agree with this. We do stay off phones during vacations but do get on occasionally when we're out and about around our city but we are very involved parents. I'm a sty at home mom who gave up a lot to devote my life to DS and am homeschooling him. DH is a great dad who spends nearly every moment outside of work with DS.

We are the type of parents who never vacation without him. We rarely use a babysitter (in fact this past friday was our first time using a babysitter for our 5 year old) or grandparents so we can go out without our son. We are pretty much there 100 percent of the time. So I feel no guilt when I get on my phone for a few minutes ever couple of hours during the day.

 

[jahber]

I agree with this. We do stay off phones during vacations but do get on occasionally when we're out and about around our city but we are very involved parents. I'm a sty at home mom who gave up a lot to devote my life to DS and am homeschooling him. DH is a great dad who spends nearly every moment outside of work with DS.

We are the type of parents who never vacation without him. We rarely use a babysitter (in fact this past friday was our first time using a babysitter for our 5 year old) or grandparents so we can go out without our son. We are pretty much there 100 percent of the time. So I feel no guilt when I get on my phone for a few minutes ever couple of hours during the day.

No more guilt! I would add that even if you only see your kids a few hours a day, how you spend that time has to be a balance of your needs and your kids' needs. That's not to excuse parents who allow their kids to run wild in a way that affects other people, but to offer a little grace to parents who, like me, are just doing the best they can. Maybe others ARE better parents than my husband and I. So be it. I'm doing the best I can and I choose to assume others are, too.