Interaction

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 13 Apr 2023
  • 497 reads
7 comments
 

Mums, Dads, turn your eyes
from your phones as you talk
or listen to your children – time flies –
they need to see your expression
to learn the cues for social interaction,
not just hear your voice.
They learn so much
from touch and time
sharing conversation
animated discussion,
and playing together
odd moments of pleasure,
not just formal education
and physical care.

[IP: Turning)

Certificate U
Poem
Families
Love
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Di_Hard on

makes me sad to see little ones trotting beside their Mum who is looking only at her phone. Someone advised me to treasure every second as children grow so fast, and it was the wisest parenting advice I got :0) I liked you having Turn at the centre of your poem, years turn, people turn from children to adults, we can turn a page in our lives and habits, turn to look at the greatest treasure we will ever have

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you. Yes, those years are so imortant to their learning, and yet so easy to forget that much of that learning is by interaction and play with their parents. Society has maybe made many think that jobs and formal child-care is more important than such time.

I was prompted to write this as had been talking to someone so concerned with the young ones going to school so often at the moment with little understanding of social cues, and she would see the parents responding to the children while their faces and expressions were towards the phone. And these are the children (and parents, I suppose) that often missed out so much in lockdown when there were not the toddler group social interaction groups.

Thanks for your comment. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

And thanks for the cherries on this. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by marandina on

Those first two lines are so powerful and relevant. Yes, mobile phones are the scourge of social interaction. Particularly significant when it comes to bringing up children.. An important poem with an important message, Rhiannon. Paul 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Paul. I was shocked when I heard the teacher's concerns, especially as having been involved in running a toddler group before lockdown (when I was just 'retiring' anyway from organising it) and realising many of these children has missed out on such social little groups. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Sorry I nearly missed this poem Rhiannon. I can't put into words how much I agree with you about parents on mobile phones. It breaks my heart when I see children crying out for attention, only to have a dummy stuck in their mouth, or a bag of crisps opened to keep them quiet.

I'm so thankful my son was young in a time before mobiles. Like you said, they grow up so quickly and time spent with them at a young age is so important. I think being a nanny in the 1970s helped me a lot, and although being a single parent was hard at times during the early 1980s, it did mean I was able to devote a lot more time to my son.

I think you made perfect sense with this poem.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. The person was watching Mums replying to their child, but their eyes on the phone, and their expression relevant to that phone conversation, so there was no eye-contact interaction with the child about what he or she was saying. So sad and futiile for both. Rhiannon