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Parents, Put Down Your Cell Phones

Krista Stauffer

We went to dinner last weekend in the “big city”. We wanted to take a little time away from the farm and spend some time as a family doing “something else”. So we drove for about an hour. We talked, the kids laughed, listened to music and were just enjoying each other’s company. As we pulled into the “big city” the traffic was out of control. Every restaurant we drove past had a parking lot that was overflowing. We almost turned around and went home.

But eventually we just picked a place and put our name on the list. We waited about fifteen minutes before our names were called. We were seated in a seat that overlooked the rest of the restaurant. It was loud and full of people. That didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves. We both left our cell phones in the car to insure we took full advantage of this time away with our family. As I sat back for a moment and just watched my little family. I was in aw. My husband sat stretched across the table teaching our daughter how to play tic-tac-toe. My oldest son was coloring his paper putting x’s & o’s all over it. Our youngest son was coloring on his paper, pausing ever so often to take a drink of his juice then shove it in his dad’s mouth to “share”. It was at that point I wanted my phone but not to play on Facebook, text, etc. I so badly wanted a picture. So I just sat there taking full advantage of the moment.

We finished up our meal, paid the sixty-some dollar check and got the kids ready to head outside in the cold. Throughout our meal I could hear a baby talking and making sounds. Because of the noise I didn’t realize that she was right behind us until I saw her. As we passed by very slowly because we were still getting hats and coats on the kids. I noticed that both her parents were on their phones. The were both on Facebook. Now I am not saying that they were bad parents and certainly not putting myself on a pedestal. But it made me look around for a moment as we were leaving, at every table at least one person was on their cell phone! Every table…

We got the kids in the car and I just sat there for a moment reflecting on what I had just seen. How can you fully enjoy the presence of those around you when you are so caught up in whatever it is on your phone? How is scrolling through Facebook or even clicking “like” on someone’s post/photo more important than the people sitting right in front of you? How do you ever get those little moments back with your baby?

I know you are probably thinking I need to get off the farm more often, that this is just how things are now days. Well, I am here to tell you that I have no desire to get off the farm more often. If anything those little “reminders” are just that,  reminders that I belong on the farm. Reminders that every little moment with my children, I cannot get those back. Reminders that if I were playing on Facebook on my phone, I would have missed out on that moment where my family was spending one on one time with each other. I would have missed realizing how truly blessed I am.

Now I could go into how much quality time we get as a family on the farm. I could go into how we wasted sixty-some dollars and I could have made dinners for a week at home. I could go into a lot of different things… but I wont.

What I will do is challenge each and every parent out there to put your cell phone down. Take advantage of EVERY little moment with your children. Teach your child how to play a new game, color with them, sing with them just quit wasting your time scrolling through other people’s lives only to click “like” on something from someone you never even talk to outside of social media. You are missing out on so much. Wait for nap time or bedtime…

Take it from a mom that had to reevaluate her time on social media over a year ago, your life will change if you just put down the phone.

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Krista Stauffer

Owner at Stauffer Dairy
Krista didn't grow up on a farm but fell in love with a dairy farmer and now works alongside her husband on their family dairy farm, raising five children. Despite her non-farm upbringing, she embraces farm life, enjoys gardening, and remodeling their farmhouse. She also runs a successful women's boutique, manages social media for local businesses, and serves on the board of a non-profit creamery, showcasing her dedication to entrepreneurship and community service.
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